Hidden Feelings
by xoxocamille
Summary: The stars were evenly spread out over the sky and the moon lit brightly over the horizon. It would've been the perfect night for Lois, but instead, it turned out to be the nightmare she wished she didn't live to see.
1. Interrupted

**Hidden Feelings**

**Summary:**_ Chloe and Jimmy got married. Doomsday never happened. However, Lois' nightmare still came true: Lana is back. Feeling more depressed than ever, Lois tries to cope to the idea that Lana and Clark are back together. But, will she be able to keep up this charade, or will she finally admit to Clark that she's been having feelings for him all this time?_

**Author's Note: **_Takes place right after the 'almost kiss' between Lois & Clark on the S8 episode, Bride. Hopefully it's not too complicated-looking. :)_

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**Chapter 1: Interrupted **

"No way! I can't believe it! Oh my God!" Chloe exclaimed, making her way towards the door where her best friend, Lana Lang, stood. She embraced Lana for the longest time; it had been months since she last saw her. Everyone else watched as the two shared a reunion, including Lois and Clark.

Now that their magical moment has been interrupted thanks to Lana's not-so-discreet arrival, Lois quietly stepped aside and looked at Clark, whose eyes were now steadily fixed on the first girl he ever loved. She knew that she had lost him; she didn't stand a chance. No one could ever compete with Lana in Clark's eyes. Accepting her loss, Lois went outside to catch some air. It was all too much; she didn't need to see the rest of it.

The scene outside was much more peaceful. The stars were evenly spread out over the sky and the moon lit brightly over the horizon. It would've been _the_ perfect night for Lois, but instead, it turned out to be the nightmare she wished she didn't live to see. It hurt to see that Clark was still not over Lana, but it hurt more to realize that Clark will always choose Lana over her. These past couple of months, Lois has been a good friend to Clark. She was there when Clark was left heartbroken over Lana's disappearing act, she was there helping him adjust to the hectic lifestyle at the Daily Planet, she was there for him through it all. They have gotten much closer, but Lois didn't think that she would start developing feelings for Clark. Right now, none of that mattered. She just wanted to forget it all, erase it in her memory. As she reached the front porch of the Kent home, she grabbed a bottle of wine from one of the men walking around with a tray of drinks. _This ought to do the trick,_ she thought to herself.

-8888888888-

Back inside the barn, Clark met Lana's eyes. All of the hurt, all of the pain, all of the hatred he strongly felt towards her before now seemed to have melted away. His heart started beating much, much faster, not knowing what he should do. Simply, he made his way through the crowd until he was inches away from Lana, who now had a glass of wine on her hand.

"Lana." It was a name he was afraid he'd never mention again. It was hard to believe that she was here, in the flesh, standing in front of him.

"Clark, it's nice to see you. You sure look dashing in that suit," Lana replied, eyeing him up and down, followed by her traditional sweet smile.

"I didn't expect you to come to Chloe's wedding."

"Yeah, so did I. But Chloe's been my best friend all this time; I wouldn't miss this for the world. I know how much this means to her," she said, now diverting her attention to the newly married couple entertaining the other guests. She has never seen Chloe as happy as she looked now.

Clark didn't want to stall the conversation any longer. He wanted to know why Lana really came back. "Is that the only reason why you came back? Strictly to be present in Chloe's wedding?" he asked, hoping Lana understood what he meant. He needed to know the reason why she left him in the first place, and why, after all those months, she'd decided to come back as if nothing had happened.

Lana turned her head, now facing Clark. She knew this was going to happen at some point. "I came back for Chloe, Clark. That's why I'm here. I don't have to explain anything to you or to anyone else."

"No, Lana. I need answers. Reasons why you left me, and why, all of a sudden, you decided to come back. Don't you think you owe me at least that much?"

"Clark, now's not the time to discuss about us. Please, have some respect for Chloe and Jimmy."

Realizing that Lana was right, Clark decided to stop with the questions. Tonight was supposed to be Chloe and Jimmy's unforgettable night, but he made sure he wasn't going to let the night come to a close without getting any answers from Lana. As she started to walk towards the couple, Clark caught her free hand, forcing her to stop. She took one good look at her fingers tangled with Clark's, remembering what used to be. Afterwards, she met his eyes, a sign of desperation written all over them. "Can we talk about this after the reception?"

Without a word, Lana nodded her head and released her hand from Clark's. This was going to be a long night, and unfortunately for her, it was just getting started.

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"Byeeeeee!" Chloe said as she waved to the familiar faces in the crowd. A white, luxurious car has pulled up in front of the barn, with a banner reading "Just Married" on the rear window. Jimmy opened the door and guided his wife as she entered the car. They were ready to leave for their honeymoon, an event that Jimmy surprisingly planned all by himself.

"Hey CK," Jimmy said as he motioned for Clark to come closer.

"Yeah Jimmy?" he asked.

"Thanks for everything, man. For walking Chloe down the aisle, for letting us use your barn for the wedding and reception…just for everything, really."

"It's my pleasure. Besides, this is the only way I could ever repay Chloe for all the things she's done for me. Just make sure you take good care of her," he demanded.

"You got it," Jimmy replied as he patted Clark's shoulder. He waved to the other guests once again and noticed that something—or someone—is missing. He met Clark's eyes and as soon as Clark met his, he knew Jimmy was worrying about something.

"What is it?"

Jimmy scanned the crowd once again, making sure his eyes didn't deceive him. True enough, they didn't. Someone was missing. He turned to Clark, hoping he could provide some answers.

"Clark…where's Lois?"

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Lois danced around the Kent's front porch with a second bottle of wine on her hand. She never felt so free; she could feel the cool wind blowing all over her hair, the crisp scent of the night embracing her. Right at that exact moment, no one was going to rain on her parade. She was having fun; she didn't care about a thing in the world. All of that changed drastically, however, as she saw Clark's shadow slowly emerging, getting closer to where she was. She decided to ignore it and continued to dance around, giving little thought if anyone—even Clark—saw her.

"Lois? Lois!"

Clark finally found Lois dancing by herself on the front porch. He wasn't sure what was going on, but realized she was drunk as he caught a glimpse of the wine that was on her hand. He made his way on to the steps, determined to find out why out of all nights, she decided to go crazy tonight.

"Hey, Lois. What are you doing?"

"Having fun! Want to join my private party, Smallville?"

Lois moved closer to Clark, her face now inches away from his. He could smell the wine coming out of her breath, knowing that he has to help her get sober—fast. He wouldn't want anyone to see her like this, especially since most of the guests are her and Chloe's relatives. He placed his hands on Lois' shoulders, trying to get her to stop dancing.

"Lois, you're drunk. I need to take you home before you embarrass yourself in front of all these people. Here, hand me the bottle."

Lois didn't like the idea of Clark telling her what to do. Who is he to tell her to stop? Besides, he only cared about Lana. Did he even realize how hurt she was when he forgot about her existence once Lana showed up at the door? No, he had no right to make her do anything.

"You know Clark, if you didn't want to join, you could've easily said no."

Clark didn't understand why Lois was acting this way. Just earlier, she was panicking whether or not the pink napkins matched the color scheme of the tables. What happened to her? Why, all of a sudden, is she being like this?"

"Lois, why are you acting this way? Look, I think it's best if you go home and sober up. Everyone's starting to leave as well."

"You want to know why I'm acting like this, Clark? You really want to know? Are you that blind, or is your armor so thick that you don't care about anyone else's feelings other than—"

"I, uh, I'll take it from here, Clark," Oliver said, interrupting Lois mid-sentence.

Clark took one last look at Lois, who was now sitting down, the bottle still on her hand. He didn't know what was going on with her, but he wanted to help her. Even with his superpower abilities, Clark knew that he couldn't help Lois, as much as he wanted to. He felt helpless. Looking back at the crowd that was now hopping on their respective cars, Clark saw Lana. He knew this was the perfect time to finally settle what really happened between them. He turned around to check Lois again. With a concerned look, he faced Oliver.

"Make sure she'll be alright," he said as he descended down the steps, walking towards Lana.

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"Thanks for the ride home, Ollie."

Oliver's sleek European car was now parked in front of the Talon. He insisted that he should drive Lois home since she was drunk and that she could just pick up her car tomorrow in the Kent farm. He turned off the engine as Lois removed his coat.

"Feeling better? I don't want to leave you all alone here and—"

"I'll be fine," she interrupted, refusing to meet his eyes. She just wanted to go inside and be left alone.

"Tell me Lois, what was that back there? Couldn't you at least spare Chloe some humiliation on her wedding day? Think about what would've happened if Clark didn't see you there! Look, I know you have some feel—"

"Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil, but the last thing I want right now is to hear you preach, okay? I just want to be alone, _please_." Lois pushed the door open with all her strength. She felt Oliver's hand touch her arm, but immediately shook it off. She didn't want to have this conversation right now, especially with a past lover. It was already awkward enough.

"Okay, fine with me," he replied, matter-of-factly.

Lois closed the door.

"But you should know, Clark's not as blind as you think he is. He's confused, that's all. He just doesn't know what he wants," Oliver blatantly said, leaving it at that to let Lois digest it in for the night. He knew she was hurting, and as much as he wanted to be there for her, there was only so much he could do.

The engine finally roared to life as Oliver twisted a little knob, turning on the headlights. Lois stood frozen with her back to him, and moments later, the car was no longer there. She made her way inside the Talon and locked it, making sure no one can give her a surprise visit.

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Already exhausted from the turnout of the night's events, Lois grabbed her cellphone from her purse and dialed Chloe's number. She didn't want her cousin to think that something was wrong, so she made sure to give a quick call to congratulate the happy couple once again. She sat on the corner of her bed and on the other line was a computerized voice asking her to leave a message. _Of course, it'd go straight to voicemail,_ she thought to herself.

Using all of the energy she had left, Lois tried to sound as enthusiastic as she could, though she felt just the exact opposite.

"Hey cuz! Sorry to interrupt your honeymoon…well, not that you were really interrupted, you didn't even answer! Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you once again on your wedding. I'm very, very, very happy for you and Jimmy and you both deserve to have a wonderful life. Don't worry about things back here; I have it all under control. You just enjoy your time there, wherever you are in the world, with your husband. I love you!"

With that, Lois hung up. Since she was too tired to even do anything, she didn't bother changing her clothes and crawled her way to the heart of her bed. Everything around her was quiet; it was peaceful. Everything but her mind, at least. Right now, all she could think about was Clark. She was heartbroken, and she hated herself for being so vulnerable. She had never felt so unwanted, so unloved, so...invisible.

Tears started to well up in her eyes from the overwhelming emotion that came over her. She tried to forget about what had happened, but she knew deep down that running away from it wasn't going to do anything. But then again, there was nothing much she _could_ do. Clark loved Lana. He never stopped loving her even after she left, as much as Lois hated to admit it. She was it for him. Easy as that.

Feeling hopeless and defeated, Lois pulled the sheets over her head and cried endlessly, hoping the following day she'd forget ever admitting to herself that she loved Clark. It was less complicated that way.

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**Author's Note:** _Before anything else, thank you for taking some of your precious time to read it! I'm aware that many others have written their own renditions to the 'almost kiss' dilemma (trust me, I've read them myself!), but everyone sure deserves a chance to take a stab at it, right? I was actually watching this particular episode the other day, and it inspired me to write this. Thanks again!_


	2. The Cardinal Rule

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note:** _Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/alerted! I am forever grateful and honored. Sorry if it took me a while to update; my brain has been working __overdrive with all the math & sciences! I hope you all like the second installment, and if any of my grammar mistakes offend you, well I apologize for that as well. I write these things in the middle of the night. :)_

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_**Chapter 2: The Cardinal Rule**

Lois Lane never cries over men.

If there's one thing Lois learned about being a Lane, it's that you never let your emotions get the best of you, never let them consume you. _Don't ever show your weakness_, the General always reminded her and Lucy.

It was _the _one cardinal rule Lois knew with all her heart; the one she followed religiously. All before last night's humiliating episode, that is. All before she met someone named Clark Kent.

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Groaning, Lois woke up to the sound of her alarm clock.

_Ugh, what time is it?_

Checking the antique-looking alarm clock that sat on her nightstand, the short arm pointed on the 9 while the longer arm extended its own on the 6. The rays of the sun made its way through the curtain in Lois' bedroom, but Lois turned around in her bed, trying to dodge it. As she moved her head in a more comfortable position, she noticed dark streaks of black stains cover one side of her pillow. Her eyebrows immediately weaved in confusion.

_What the…?_

Sitting upright, Lois removed the sheets covering her to check if there were other stains on the bed. Surprisingly, there were none. Upon careful investigation, however, she noticed some faded streaks were also present on the comforter.

And if that wasn't enough, Lois was puzzled as to why she was still wearing the orange dress she wore to Chloe's wedding. _What happened?_

Trying to remember what happened the night before, Lois came up with nothing. It's almost as if someone took her memory and wiped it all out. She couldn't, for the life of her, remember what had happened, and it was beginning to frustrate her.

_Okay, okay. Calm down, Lane. Try to remember…_

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_(Flashback)_

"And remember what the General always says: 'Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.' You can edit that last part out, right?"

Everyone in the room laughed as the video finally finished playing. Jimmy landed a soft kiss on Chloe's lips, tracing her jawline with his thumb. Smiling, he got up and took the microphone, catching everyone's attention.

"I swear, Colin should start running if he knows what's good for him," Lois said, bringing the glass to her mouth to taste the sweetness of the champagne.

"Oh, come on Lois, that was funny," Clark replied.

Lois shot Clark an I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-don't-stop look. It wasn't funny. Not for her, it wasn't.

"I just want to say thanks to everyone that was in the video, you should know we appreciate it very much. Now, I'd like to take this moment and dance with my wife, who just made me the happiest man in the world."

As "aww's" and "mmm's" made its way around the tables, Jimmy took Chloe's hand and swept her to the dance floor. He stared deeply into her eyes, tattooing her face to his memory. He loved her so much, and he couldn't picture himself being without her.

"I love you, Mrs. Olsen."

"I love you too, Jimmy," she smiled at him.

"Now we'd like to ask Chloe's escort to join her on the dance floor."

The couple both glanced towards Clark, who was standing on the stairway, watching them.

"Hey Clark," Chloe held up her finger, motioning for Clark to come and dance with her.

Moments after Chloe shared a dance with Clark, Jimmy interrupted them, demanding that he wanted to dance with his wife once again. As the lights dimmed a bit more and the music sounded more romantic than the previous, Clark saw Lois, standing on the side, watching others as they danced…

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Lois paced back and forth in her bedroom, trying to uncover more of what happened the night before. Once she remembered the dance she shared with Clark, she stood there, frozen, almost as if she just had an epiphany.

"Clark," she whispered in the air.

Before filling in her thoughts with more of Clark, Lois ran to the bathroom. She wanted to dismiss the idea in her head; she just wanted to make it all disappear. There was no reason for her to get caught up over a guy who didn't even reciprocate the feelings she had. She didn't want to remember what happened after their "moment" was interrupted. Not that she could remember much of it, anyway.

Turning on the lights in the bathroom, Lois was surprised to see the appearance that stared back at her in the mirror. The reflection had dark streaks running down her face, identifying the tears that were stained from the mascara. Its hair was also tangled up in a messy wave, as if a hairstylist decided to make a bird's nest out of it.

It wasn't the reflection's appearance that disturbed Lois the most. It was the fact that the reflection looked hurt, broken—defeated. That's not who Lois was, at all.

Being a Lane didn't just mean that you had a father who was respected by everyone in the military. No, that was just a title. Being a Lane meant that you were strong enough to not get carried away by your emotions. If things didn't turn out the way you'd hoped for them to be, you wouldn't mope around and sit on the corner. No, you try to make the best out of every situation, no exceptions.

Lois wiped her face on a towel after successfully washing out the mascara stains that ran down her cheeks. She took a look at her self again on the mirror, the reflection that appeared before her earlier now just a figment of her imagination.

_Okay, Lois. Wake up. Forget every bit of romantic feeling you ever had for Clark. He already has Lana. He doesn't need you._

And at that, Lois turned off the lights and walked out of the bathroom. She removed the stained pillow case wrapped on her pillow, along with her comforter, to wash them out. She needed to get on with the day, putting the confrontation behind her.

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_Swooooooosh._

Clark removed his jacket and placed it on the coat rack before making his way up the stairs. He was going to check up on Lana, but instead he heard what sounded like a pan sizzling coming from the kitchen. He went in to investigate.

"Good morning! Would the Red-Blue Blur like to eat some breakfast?" Lana asked, a dash of grin hinted at her lips.

"Lana. W-what's all this?"

"I'm sorry if I helped myself with what's around the house. I just wanted to do something for you, for letting me stay here last night."

"You didn't have to do all of this, you know. You're always welcome," he replied, pouring some orange juice on a glass. He was parched.

"Why don't you," she smiled, forcing him to sit on one of the chairs on the dining table, "sit here, while I prepare you something to fuel you up for the day?" She ran back to the kitchen, making sure that whatever it was she was cooking wasn't burnt.

Lana finished cooking the eggs on the frying pan and served them on a plate. She then toasted some bread and pulled out the butter from the fridge. Clark sat on the wooden chair, watching her intently, remembering the days when Martha used to prepare him his breakfast. It was good to have Lana back. He had missed her when she left.

"Here we go, some eggs, sausages, and toast, with a spread of butter," she mentioned, as she laid out two plates, one for each of them, to eat the breakfast she'd prepared.

As Lana joined Clark on the dining table, sitting herself down on the chair next to him, Clark took her hands and held them delicately. Startled, Lana's eyes followed where their hands laced together, smiling down on it.

"I've missed you so much, Lana. You don't know how happy I am to have you back."

Without a word, Lana tilted her head to meet Clark's eyes. In his eyes, she could sense the longing, the silent desperation, and the loneliness he felt when she left him.

"Me too. I'm glad to be here."

Clark and Lana had gone through a myriad of trials together, some that tested their relationship, and some that tested their character. She never thought that after all the things that'd happened between them, she would be where she was at that moment, with Clark.

As promised, Lana talked to Clark after the wedding reception the night before. She explained the reason why she left, and why, out of all the months she'd been gone, decided to come back to witness Chloe's wedding. She'd also mentioned to Clark that she'd been keeping an eye on Metropolis' new hero, the Red-Blue Blur. She was proud of him for taking on bigger responsibilities, and even though she was miles away from Clark, she admitted that her feelings for him never changed.

"I want to help you, Clark."

"What do you mean?"

"Save the world. Together, we can make such a big difference. We can help so many people."

"Lana, your safety means more to me than anything. I can't ask you to do something that'll put your life in danger."

"No, you don't understand. I _want_ to help you. I've been—I've been reading about your miraculous saves, your heroic acts…and it got me thinking. With the resources I have, we can work together, side-by-side."

"I-I don't kn—"

"You're amazing, Clark. You inspire me to do things I never thought I could do before. Now that there're no secrets between us, I could be there for you. Together, we could inspire the world, just like you've inspired me."

Stunned at Lana's words, Clark didn't know what to say. He cared about her, so much, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He couldn't ask her to put her own life in jeopardy; he would never want to lose her. Though it was a selfish desire, he didn't want to lose the woman he thought he'd lost forever.

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A loud knock banged on Lois' door.

"Coming!" she yelled out, as she finished pouring herself a cup of coffee. To her surprise, the person on the other side of the door turned out to be Oliver, the last person she thought would pay her a visit. Actually, scratch that. She could think of another person who would be the last to give her a visit.

"Ollie."

"Hey, Lois. Mind if I come in?"

"No, not at all. Come in," she opened the door wider, motioning her arm for him to come in.

"So, what did I do to deserve a visit from Metropolis' richest bachelor? You do know that Jimmy and Chloe are in their honeymoon," she reminded him, aware of the fact that Oliver always looked for either Jimmy or Chloe for reasons Lois never understood. It was what it was.

"Yeah, probably sunbathing and drinking out of their little Tiki cups in a remote beach in Tahiti," he shrugged.

"Please, like Jimmy could ever afford something that extravagant. I love him and all, but ever since they got engaged, he's been living here with us. Thank God I've never walked in on them doing the you-know-what."

"Well, between you and me, the honeymoon was my wedding gift. It took a while to convince Jimmy to accept it, but he caved in eventually."

"Ah. That explains why the guy's been so jolly whenever the honeymoon issue came up," Lois walked towards the kitchen and grabbed her cup of coffee. She took a quick sip.

"So, forgive me for being so frank, but why exactly are you here?"

"Well, I was around the area, and I wanted to see how you're holding up."

"Holding up? What could possibly be wrong with me, Ollie?"

"Come on, Lois. You're telling me you can't remember that little number you gave that farmboy last night?"

"Whoa there! Okay, I appreciate you caring about my well-being, but I'm drawing the line here, Ollie. I'm a big girl, and the last time I checked, I can take care of myself."

Oliver danced around the couch and made his way on to the front door. As he reached for the doorknob, he turned around, his eyes following Lois.

"Look, Lois. I get that I may be the last person on Earth that you'd want to run to for relationship problems, but I'm just a friend who's concerned about you. I think we should graduate past the awkward ex phase."

"I assure you, Ollie. I don't have relationship problems."

"You really think I would believe that? Come on, I've seen the way you look at Clark," he blurted out, hitting Lois straight to the heart.

Surprised to hear Oliver's last comment, Lois looked up and met his eyes. She didn't think it was obvious at all. Sure, she had feelings for Clark, but she made sure it was never that way when she was around him or around others. She must've really messed up last night. It was too bad she couldn't remember what happened after she was humiliated.

There was no reason to hide it from Oliver any longer. As surprised as she was, denying it in front of him wasn't going to make it go away.

Oliver moved a step closer to the door. Since Lois didn't reply to the last thing he'd said, he thought there was no way to get to her. She could be so stubborn.

"Clark…he doesn't need me," Lois admitted, her index finger circling around the rim of the coffee cup. She looked down and frowned.

"I think we both know that's a big lie. The guy would still be a mess if it weren't for you."

"It's just," she continued, now looking straight at Oliver, "we would have these moments. At first, I didn't think much about them, but the more time we spent together, they intensified even more. I couldn't keep lying to myself. These feelings—they just kind of crept up on me. I didn't see them coming, at all."

"Some things do come unexpectedly in our lives, Lois. It's just a matter of how we handle it," he reminded her.

"Well, I'm afraid there's not much handling on this one."

"I don't know…something tells me otherwise."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I know Clark," he finished, smiling slyly.

Just then, Lois' heart-to-heart conversation with Oliver was interrupted as a beeping sound from her cellphone went off. On the screen, it read "1 New Message". She pressed a button to open it.

"Speak of the devil, it's Smallville."

_Lois, your car is still parked in the farm. You're free to come and pick it up whenever you're ready. –Clark_

"Well?"

"Hm, think you can give a girl a ride to the Kent farm?"

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The drive from the Talon to the Kent farm was surprisingly silent. Neither Lois nor Oliver really said much, almost as if they each had something big bothering them that they didn't want to share with the other. For Lois, she just kept replaying the conversation over and over in her head. _I don't know, something tells me otherwise._ What could Oliver possibly mean?

After vowing to herself that she would completely dismiss her feelings for Clark, Lois found herself still caught up in the middle of it all. She was so stubborn sometimes, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't keep trying to honor the promise she made.

"Aren't you coming down?" Lois asked, bending down to see Oliver's face through the rolled down windows. It took them less than a few minutes to get to the farm, thanks to Oliver's sharp driving skills.

"I have to meet with the board in less than an hour in Metropolis. Just send Clark my regards," he replied, punching in some letters in his phone. He had to leave as soon as possible.

"Hey, Lois!"

Without even looking back to check who screamed her name, Lois knew exactly who it was.

"Thanks, Ollie," she waved as Oliver backed up his car and drove off. After a good minute or so, all she saw then were specks of dust.

As she turned around, Lois saw Clark walking down the steps of his house, making his way towards her.

"Hey, what's with Oliver?"

"Oh, he uh, he's running late to a meeting."

"Mm. And how about you? Are you okay?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Now hand over the keys, Smallville, this girl still has to get through an entire list of errands today."

If Clark didn't know any better, he felt as if Lois was acting differently. Typically, whenever she visited the farm, she'd help herself inside the house and go straight to the kitchen, raiding his fridge. She always blamed it on the fact that she was hypoglycemic.

"Well, actually your car keys are inside the ho—"

"Lois!" A woman's voice interrupted Clark mid-sentence. That voice could only belong to one person, and Lois knew exactly who it belonged to: Lana.

"Why hello … Lana," she uttered, a little surprised.

"I didn't see you at all yesterday! How are you?" she asked, squeezing Lois with her hug.

_Jeez, must everyone remind me about yesterday? Where's the rewind button when you need it?_

"Oh, you know…the usual. Busting my butt at the Daily Planet to catch the latest stories here with Clark." She patted him on the shoulder.

"I've read some of your articles regarding the Red-Blue Blur. He's really something, isn't he?"

As Lana asked the question, she grinned at Clark, which bothered Lois a little. It seemed as if they had an inside joke going on and left her on the outside loop. She continued to play along and pretended she didn't see the conspicuous grin Lana gave Clark.

"Yeah, the Red-Blue Blur. Someone has to share to the world his everyday acts of heroism we all seem to take for granted nowadays. He's a symbol of hope for this town."

Lois didn't understand why, but right after she gave that speech about the Red-Blue Blur, she could've sworn she saw Clark smile sheepishly. It was almost as if…

"So, why don't you two chat for a bit, and I will grab your keys," Clark said, turning around when suddenly, a hand stopped in front of him.

"Why don't you two talk, I'll get it," Lana offered, making her way back inside the farmhouse. Now everything turned silent, except for the birds tweeting on the trees, and some in the sky.

"Wow, you sure jumped straight back into her arms when she came back, huh?"

"It's not what it looks like, Lois."

"No need to be modest around me, Smallville. I get it. I know what's going on."

"Look, Lana was planning on going to a hotel after the wedding, but it ended so late, so I told her it'd be better if she just stayed the night and find one the next day."

Just as she was about to comment on Clark's explanation, Lana came down the steps and held out her hand. "Here you go," she said, handing over the keys.

As the three stood on the outside of the farmhouse, the awkward tension grew a little stronger it became almost impossible to avoid. Before someone even dared to address it, Lois pushed a button on her key, unlocking the doors of her car.

"Well, I oughta get going. These errands aren't going to do themselves. See you tomorrow at the bullpen bright and early, Clark."

As the car's engine roared to life, Lois pulled the seatbelt over her shoulder and clicked it into place. She placed her foot on the pedal and accelerated the car, moving slowly. Looking at the rear view mirror, she saw Lana's hand reach out for Clark's, intertwining them together. Refusing to witness more of it, Lois focused her eyes on the road. All of a sudden, for some reason she couldn't explain, she felt sick to her stomach.

* * *

**Author's Note: **_Yeah, as you could see, I included some flashbacks from the wedding, and there weren't as much Lois & Clark interaction, but it had to be done. I'm not sure when I will update again, since midterms and finals are starting to pile up! Majoring in NPB is serious business. At least they are, for me. Gooooodnight! _


	3. Dinner For Two

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note: **_Once again, thank you for the alerts/reviews/favorites! I missed this story very much, so thank goodness finals are over! I hope you all enjoy Chapter 3. _

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 3: Dinner For Two**

"And here we have Jimmy trying to do the backstroke."

Chloe showed her cousin pictures of her and Jimmy during their honeymoon on her laptop. Upon seeing Jimmy's face in the photograph, she couldn't help but let out a giggle, remembering how frightened he was since he didn't know how to swim. It was hard to believe that their one week of paradise had gone by so quickly.

"I'm glad you lovebirds had fun," Lois said, watching as Chloe clicked on several more pictures of them.

"How about you Lois? What'd you do when you had the whole apartment to yourself?" Jimmy asked, walking up to his wife as he buttoned his favorite shirt. He kissed Chloe on the cheek, the usual way he greeted her every morning.

"Eh, just the usual. Work, monster truck marathons, sleep in peace."

It had been a week since Chloe and Jimmy had their wedding, which meant that it had also been a week since Lois had her unexpected semi-meltdown. For the most part, she continued doing her normal routine: wake up, go to the Daily Planet, follow a lead, go home. Things with Clark had also gone slightly back to normal, and she was glad that they were. Every time they were together, she tried to maintain some distance from him, to not let herself get too attached. She seldom thought about the feelings she had for him, and that made things a bit easier for her.

"And where are you off to, loverboy?" Chloe asked.

"I'm just going to drop these off to the post office, and run a couple of errands. I promise, I'll be back in time for the dinner thing."

"Wait a second. What dinner thing?" Lois asked, meeting Jimmy's eyes, then Chloe's.

"…And that's my cue. I'll see you later," he continued, kissing Chloe on the lips, "Mrs. Olsen." He ran to the front door and excused himself out of the apartment. Lois widened her eyes, waiting for Chloe to give her some response.

"Well, now that Jimmy and I are back from our honeymoon, Lana insists we all have dinner at the farm today. You know, to catch up and stuff."

Sitting and working across from Clark at the Daily Planet was one thing. Sitting across from Clark at a dinner table watching him admire Lana's perfection was another. Just when things with him were starting to become normal again, Lois didn't think it would be a good idea to go to the dinner Lana planned. It would just ruin all the effort she put into setting aside her feelings for him.

"So, you're coming with us for the dinner, right?"

Lois thought about it again. No, it definitely wouldn't be a good idea to come.

"Yeah, actually…sorry cuz. I can't," she answered, walking out of Chloe's room and into the kitchen.

Chloe turned off her laptop and followed Lois to the kitchen, who was pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"What's so important that you can't come?" she questioned her, slightly suspicious.

"I-uh, have to finish this article that I'm working on. Need to have a thousand words by Monday," she replied back, lying through her teeth. Lois didn't have an article she needed to finish. As a matter of fact, she turned in all her articles before leaving work yesterday.

"And it's Saturday. Can't you work on that tomorrow or something?"

"Nuh-uh. Crime never sleeps, and neither do front-page news." She held a finger up in the air as she took a sip of her coffee from an orange mug.

"Lois, don't you think I know you well enough to know when you're lying to me? Why don't you really want to go?"

"My work means a lot to me, Chloe. You of all people should understand that," she countered, hoping her cousin will buy it.

"Oh, I understand, believe me. But since when did you pass up on free dinners at the Kent farm? If I'm not mistaken, you treat Clark's house as if it were your own."

Just then, Lois couldn't come up with an answer to Chloe's endless rebuttals. She just wanted to end the discussion and finally enjoy her cup of coffee. Besides, it's not like it would make such a huge difference if she didn't show up. When Lana said they needed to catch up, she probably meant catching up with Chloe anyway.

"Sorry cuz. Still doesn't change things," she finished.

"Okay, fine. I give up. Suit yourself, then." Chloe left Lois in the kitchen and walked back to her bedroom.

* * *

The afternoon passed by quickly and Jimmy & Chloe arrived at the Kent farm just in time for the dinner. Lana welcomed them both with open arms and led them to the dining room where the plates and silverware were set in place. She then ran back to the kitchen and prepared the dishes.

"Where's Lois?" Clark asked Chloe.

"Said she can't make it. Something about finishing up some article," she rolled her eyes, still not believing the excuse.

"Oh," he replied back, a slight hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Well, I'm glad you two were able to come," Lana interrupted as she walked back to the room. She set the dishes on the table, making just enough room for the drinks.

"Wow, everything looks delicious, Lana," Chloe complimented as she admired Lana's work.

"Thank you," she smiled, "just one of the few things I learned when I went away," she replied, her eyes shifting immediately to Clark's.

Over dinner, both Chloe and Clark filled Lana in with the events that happened when she left. Clark explained how his life took a different turn when he started working at the Daily Planet, while Chloe shared a couple of stories of her own. Jimmy indulged himself with the food, making little comments here and there whenever it was appropriate.

* * *

"You might want to wipe that before going inside, or else Jimmy's going to think you didn't really use the bathroom for the fifth time," Chloe warned Clark, pointing to his cheeks.

During the entire course of the dinner, Clark excused himself from the table as he went out to fulfill his Red-Blue Blur duties. Since Jimmy was there, he had to find a way to escape and used the bathroom as an excuse. He and Chloe stood outside on the front porch of his home.

"Is Jimmy—"

"No, he's in the kitchen with Lana." She looked down on the wooden floor and frowned.

For a brief moment, silence filled the area. Clark wiped his face like Chloe told him to, and Chloe looked up at him, confusion written all over her eyes.

"So you and Lana are back together. Does anybody else know?"

Ever since she returned from her honeymoon, Clark never informed Chloe that he and Lana were back to being a couple. Sure, she knew Lana was back, but she didn't think much about what would happen next now that she entered their lives once again. During the wedding, she was solely focused on the fact that her best friend was back. For some reason, however, she had a gut feeling that things were going to turn out the way they did.

"No. I haven't told Lois yet. Not officially, anyway."

"Are you trying to hide this from everyone? Clark, I think we both know that Lois will find out on her own eventually. The woman has her ways, trust me."

"I think she already knows. I just…denied it," he said hesitantly.

"Well why haven't you told her?"

"Lois was the one who picked me up when I became a mess when Lana left me. She helped me get started at the Daily Planet, and I owe all that to her. It's not easy to admit that I stepped backwards when she was trying to help me move on with my life."

"It's also not right to lie to someone who tried to help you get through one of the toughest times of your life," she paused. " All I'm saying is that if you and Lana decide to be back in each other's arms, then keeping it a secret to everyone else would be a useless effort."

"I didn't lie to her. I'm still finding a right time to say it."

"Okay. Then I suggest that time comes sooner because it won't be pretty if she heard it from someone else."

Chloe made her way to the door only to be stopped by Clark's response.

"Love—first love, that has to count for something, right?"

She met Clark's eyes and sighed.

"I-I don't know, Clark. All I know is that the only one that matters is the last."

She opened the door and went inside to reunite with Jimmy and Lana, leaving Clark pondering by himself on the front porch.

* * *

Lois looked at the clock for the umpteenth time. _Nine-fifteen pm._

"What's taking them so long?" she asked herself angrily.

After turning down Chloe's—technically, Lana's—dinner invitation, Lois had been stuck in the house ever since the married couple left. Since her article excuse was just a front, she had been doing nothing but watch re-runs of monster truck shows, and to her surprise, she was getting a bit bored. She needed something, maybe someone, to entertain her. Unfortunately, no one else was in the apartment but herself.

She pressed a button on her cellphone. _Nine-twenty pm_, she thought.

Lois grabbed the remote sitting on the coffee table and began surfing different channels. At one point, she saw _Pretty Woman_ by Julia Roberts and decided to watch it for a few minutes.

"That would make a good costume," she laughed to herself jokingly, making a mental note of the stripper-inspired outfit Julia Roberts wore when she was shopping at Rodeo Drive.

A few minutes later, Lois heard her stomach grumble. She was starving. To her dismay, there was literally no cooked food lingering around the house. She would have to cook if she wanted to eat. Unless…

_Well, Clark's house is just fifteen minutes away from the Talon, and since Jimmy & Chloe aren't back yet, that means they're probably still eating…_

Lois shook her head lightly.

"No, no, no. That's the worst idea you ever had, Lane. Come on, think!"

She paced around the living room, the sound from the TV playing like a soft melody.

Her stomach made another round of grumbling sounds and that's when Lois finally made her decision. She marched back into her room and changed into some jeans and a shirt, grabbing the first coat she found in her closet.

"'Oh, hey guys! Yeah, so guess what Chloe, I finished my article, so I thought, why not come here? You know me, I can never resist an offer when it comes to food!'"

Looking at herself in the mirror, Lois smiled. "That was pathetic. I have to make it sound a bit more…convincing."

She continued to talk to herself as she made her way out the door and into her car.

* * *

"I like what you've done with the place, Chloe."

Lana and Chloe walked around the Isis Foundation and admired the vicinity. Jimmy stayed behind in the car, since Chloe told him they wouldn't take long.

"I'm glad that you do," she replied back, smiling proudly.

They each sat on a chair as Chloe waited for more of Lana's reaction. She didn't say anything else.

"I'm happy that you decided to come back, Lana," she started.

"Chloe, can I be honest with you?"

"Of course. We're friends for a reason."

"I wasn't planning on coming back—for good. When I heard about your wedding, all I wanted was to be there for you on the most important day of your life," she confessed.

Stunned at Lana's words, Chloe didn't say a word.

"I knew that if I was really going to do it—to really come and see you, I would have to face the man whose heart I've probably broken into a lot of pieces. I thought I would be strong enough to walk away, but I was wrong."

Her voice began to crack a little, each word just becoming harder to enunciate.

"Lana…"

"After the wedding reception, Clark and I talked. We talked about a lot of things, and I saw it in his eyes…the pain, the torment, the suffering I put him through. From that moment on, I knew I couldn't fight it any longer. I couldn't leave Clark again, and truth is, I still love him."

Chloe nodded her head in approval, soaking in everything Lana just told her. She didn't know what to say so instead, she brought her arms closer to Lana and hugged her tightly.

* * *

_No going back now, Lane._

Lois knocked on the front door of the Kent residence, expecting to see her cousin's head pop out to see who would dare stop by at such a late time at night. She was going to play it off coolly, hoping everyone inside would believe her not-so-convincing story.

"Lois?"

"Hey, Clark. Jimmy and Chloe still inside?" Her eyes scanned what it could see inside.

"Uh, no…but come on in."

Lois removed her coat once she got inside the house and placed it on the coat rack. She looked around the living room realizing that the house was quiet—way too quiet.

"Where's everyone? Did I miss the dinner?"

Clark nodded in agreement.

"Jimmy and Chloe took Lana to the Isis Foundation and volunteered to drop her off to her hotel," he explained.

"Oh, that explains why I didn't see the car…well, in that case, I guess it's best if I just leave. I don't want to take some of your beauty sleep, Smallville."

Lois grabbed her coat off the coat rack and wrapped it around herself. She opened the door to walk back to her car, when suddenly, she felt Clark's hand reach out for hers. Her cheeks turned red so she immediately looked down to prevent him from seeing her reaction.

"It's okay, Lois. Stay."

Embarrassed, Lois quickly slipped her hand away from Clark's. She finally looked up at him hoping the shade of her cheeks turned down just a slight shade of pink.

"If you insist."

They walked back inside the house and went straight to the kitchen. To her surprise, Lois saw Shelby patiently sitting down, his bowl empty with the package of dog food lying on the counter.

"Aw, hi Shelby! I missed you!" She ran her hands through his fur.

"I was just about to feed him dinner," Clark said as he placed some food on Shelby's bowl.

"There, boy. Go, go eat," Lois uttered.

"So where are the leftovers for the humans?" She washed her hands at the sink as Clark opened the refrigerator.

"I just finished packing them up, so let me reheat some so you can eat."

"If you say so."

Clark heated the food in the microwave as Lois helped herself with a plate and a glass of water to drink. As Clark placed the food on the table, her stomach growled even louder, sure enough that he had to have heard it. She bit her lip.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she told him.

As soon as the food was put on the table, Lois helped herself, tasting every flavor and chugging down every bite one after the other. It was obvious enough for Clark to realize that she was extremely starving.

He pulled out another chair and sat across from Lois, watching her attack the massive amount of food Lana cooked. Good thing there were plenty of leftovers. He chuckled to himself, his eyes still fixed on her.

"Aren't you going to join me?" she asked, a little disturbed that he was watching her eat.

"No, I-uh, I ate already. I just enjoy seeing you eat," he declared.

Out of nowhere, for reasons Lois couldn't explain, her stomach that was starving just a little earlier were now filled with butterflies. She looked up at Clark and met his eyes. She couldn't help but think how hypnotic they were; whenever she stared at them, she always felt safe and secure. They were beautiful. No, _he_ was beautiful.

Before her mind even starts to wander off in _that_ direction, Lois moved her gaze from his eyes to the glass of water, reminding her just how thirsty she was. She took a quick sip.

"There are some more in the fridge if you'd like to go for seconds."

"Alright, fine. Keep 'em coming. Just don't put too much like the last time."

"Your appetite for food never ceases to amaze me, Lois Lane."

He took her plate and went back to the kitchen.

Hearing Clark's comment, Lois couldn't help but smile. It felt so good to feel comfortable around him, almost as if she had nothing to be ashamed of, when, in fact, she was hiding something from him. She would never, in a million years, ever admit to Clark that she has feelings for him—especially now that the love of his life has returned. She just continued to smile as she watched Clark get her more food—realizing that this'll all they'll ever be: co-workers and good friends.

* * *

"Thanks for the dinner again, Smallville. Lana sure has more skills in the kitchen than Chloe and I combined."

Clark walked Lois toward the door as she grabbed her coat off the rack.

"Yeah, maybe if you didn't come so late, we could've still had time to watch a movie."

It was at that moment when Clark realized that his weekend movie traditions with Lois would never happen again. Watching a movie in his house was something they _used_ to do together, before Lana arrived. It was Lois' way of getting Clark to stop moping around and get the break-up off his mind, and, soon enough, it turned into a weekly tradition. Now that Lana was back, it wouldn't be a good idea if they still continued with the said routine.

"Eh, there's nothing good out anyway. Maybe next time."

As Lois put on her coat, Clark remembered the conversation he had with Chloe earlier that night. She claimed that he needed to come clean to Lois and admit that he and Lana were back together, as hard as it might be to do. He was looking for the perfect time to do it, and now would've been the time. For some reason, he's still hesitating whether or not he should tell her. He didn't want things to change between them, but, if he was going to be a good friend, she deserved to know the truth.

"Alright Clark, see you—"

"Lois."

"Hm?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

Just then, Lois' heart started to beat much, much faster. She could hear her heart pound loudly in her ears. The butterflies in her stomach came back once again. _What was he going to say?_

"Believe it or not, these past few months, I've gotten to know you much better than I ever did for the past four years. You were there when I was at the lowest point of my life and you never gave up on me. I guess it's safe to say that you are someone I can always lean on."

Clark took one step closer to Lois, his eyes locked on hers.

"And whether you like it or not, I care for you. I do. These past couple of days, I've been thinking, and I realized something. You gave me my life back, Lois. I never would've done it without you. Which is why, I think it's only fair if I told you. I care about what you think of me."

"Truth is, I've been keeping a secret from you, Lois. I've been ashamed to tell you, but it's important you hear it from me first."

"Clark…" She didn't know what else to say. Her heart pounded heavily, beat after beat.

He took another step closer to her, and sighed. He didn't understand why it was so hard for him to tell her, but it had to be done.

A short pause clouded the air. Then, slowly, he finally let out the words.

"Lois, I'm back together with Lana. I'm still in love with her."

* * *

**Author's Note:** _Well, that was Chapter 3! I forgot to mention earlier, the grammar & all other mistakes are all mine, so I apologize if they offended you. The next chapter should be up in a couple of days, now that I don't have anything else to stress about! Thank you for reading! :)_


	4. Chance Meeting

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note: **_Wow, I wasn't expecting so many (mixed) reviews. Thank you so much once again. I just have some things I need to address:_

**1.**_ Yes, this is a Lois & Clark story. I try to minimize as much Lana/Clark scenes as possible, but sometimes, they are necessary to keep the story going._

**2.**_ LOL at everyone not liking Clark right now. There's nothing else I can say about it except that (in Oliver's words) "he doesn't know what he wants"._

**3. **_To those who requested, I'm sorry. I won't be bringing Bruce in this story. For one, I don't feel comfortable writing about his character & two, it's just not how I envision this story to go._

**4.**_ I am introducing a new character in this chapter, since I agree that Lois does need a little tlc as well. But, they won't have any romantic relationship. I want to focus solely on building Lois & Clark's relationship, and having a love triangle/square isn't really something I have in mind. _

**5.**_ I want everyone to know that I really do take all of your reviews seriously (whether they are a positive or negative criticism), and I can never even thank you enough for taking the time to give me a piece of your mind. It means a lot, really._

_Okay, with all of that out of the way, here is chapter four. I hope you all enjoy. :)_

_

* * *

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**Chapter 4: Chance Meeting**

If there was a perfect time to be invisible, that time would be now.

When Lois came to Clark's house, she didn't think things would turn out like this. She expected to see Chloe and Jimmy, she expected to eat dinner, and last but not the least, she expected to see Clark and Lana together. But Clark finally telling her what she'd known all this time? Unexpected. Very, very unexpected.

It was almost as if someone took a knife and punctured her right through her chest. It was almost as if someone took her heart and shattered it into a million tiny pieces. It was almost as if she heard about a joke only to find out that the joke was on her. The pain was inevitable. It hurt too much—her fragile heart was bleeding.

On the outside, Lois tried her best to look indifferent about Clark's confession. Although she was hurting on the inside, she rolled her eyes and scoffed, to give some sort of "reaction" he was expecting from her.

"That's not really front-page news, Smallville."

Clark looked at her, astonished.

"You mean to say that you're not…"

"That I'm not what? Shocked?"

"No. I thought you'd be disappointed in me."

"Look. It's pretty obvious that you're still not over Little Miss Iron Chef. She'd only been gone for a couple of months, so I'm sure that seeing her again brought back all the feelings you had for her. It's only natural to feel that way."

"And you're okay with this?" he asked unsurely.

"You don't need my blessing to be with anyone you want to be with, Clark. If she makes you happy, then it's good enough for me."

She was surprised to hear so much truth from her own words.

"I'm glad that's settled." He smiled at her.

"Yeah, me too. Guess I'll see you at the Planet on Monday, then. Goodnight, Clark."

"Goodnight, Lois."

As she walked towards her car, Lois' eyes started to get watery from the overwhelming emotion that came over her. She blinked a couple of times to prevent from shedding a tear, but one managed to escape. She wiped it quickly and got in her car, turning on the engine.

As she backed up the car, Clark waved his hand and smirked. She looked at him one last time, glad that he couldn't see her in the darkness. She then drove off, not knowing where she was headed, but all she knew was that she wasn't going home just yet.

* * *

_Five days later…_

"Hey, watch it!"

Making her way towards the main entrance of the Daily Planet, Lois bumped into a man who just exited the building and was going the opposite direction. Her folders fell to the floor as they both got down to pick them up.

"I am _so_ sorry." He answered as he quickly retrieved the folders one by one off the gray asphalt.

As they both stood up, Lois got a better look at the man. He was tall, almost like Oliver's height, with a medium build. His dark hair was pushed back, complimenting the hazel shades of his eyes. He smelled good too—the scent of his cologne not too empowering.

"Here are your folders," he said, handing them back to her.

"Thank you."

"I'm Patrick, by the way. Patrick Grant." He held out his right hand.

"Lois. Lois Lane." She returned the gesture.

"A star reporter at the Daily Planet. Very impressive."

"And yourself?"

"I-uh, I own a small publishing company in Europe." He answered modestly.

"Oh. _Oh!_"

Lois blinked her eyes twice, dumbfounded. She knew exactly who he was. How could he sound so calm when he owned almost half of France?

"You're _the_ Patrick Grant?" she asked, demanding an answer.

He nodded his head firmly.

"What are you doing walking around not incognito? This is Metropolis; people _will_ be all over you!"

"Actually my car is right over there," he pointed to a glossy black European car. "I was walking towards it when we, ahem…" he chuckled.

"Oh. Well you were in my way, so…"

Patrick raised his left wrist to check on the time. He had to leave for his next appointment.

"Tell you what, Ms. Lane. Why don't we continue this conversation when I'm done with all these ridiculous business meetings I have to attend?" He reached for a pen in his pocket as he gestured for one of the folders Lois was holding.

"May I?"

She nodded her head quickly.

He wrote his number down on the folder, big enough for Lois to read it. "We'll see each other again. Have a good day."

"Y-you too," she answered back, the fascinated expression on her face still visible. She watched him as he walked to his car and left.

"Patrick Grant." She looked at the handwriting that concealed his phone number. She smiled to herself as she made her way inside the Daily Planet.

* * *

_Eight forty am._

Lana tossed around the bed until she finally faced Clark. His eyes were still closed, breathing lightly.

She smiled at him as the pads of her left fingers touched his cheeks. Immediately, he reacted and opened his eyes.

"Good morning."

"Mm. Good morning to you too." He extended his neck to kiss Lana on the lips. Later on, he smiled.

"How's your sleep?"

"Good. Yours?"

"Wonderful," she said as they kissed once more.

He placed his arm around her waist as they spooned on the bed together. Lana closed her eyes, preserving the moment she shared with the man she loved.

On the nightstand, Clark's cellphone rang as Lois' name showed up on the screen. He turned around, breaking their position on the bed, as his arm reached for his phone.

"Lois?"

"Smallville! Where are you?"

"I'm uh, I'm on my way," he replied.

"Really? Really Clark?" she asked him in disbelief. "You know, I'm tired of playing the role of your personal alarm clock. If you're not here in the next ten minutes…"

"I'll be there, Lois. I'll see you soon." He hung up.

Lana wrapped the sheets around her body as the cool mist from the open window gave her chills. She looked at Clark with puppy-dog eyes, almost pouting.

"You have to leave now?"

"I'm sorry. When Lois calls me in the morning with that blaring tone of hers, it's pretty much going to be a long and busy day."

She nodded her head, still disappointed.

Clark got changed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Lana fixed the bed and went downstairs to prepare a light breakfast for him.

He rushed to the kitchen where he found her toasting some bread and pouring some orange juice into a glass. He fixed his tie as his eyes darted to the microwave to check on the time. It was five minutes before nine.

"I'm so sorry. I promise I will make it up to you later." He kissed her on the cheek.

"It's okay. I understand work can be very demanding."

She handed him a piece of toasted bread as he gulped down the orange juice quickly.

"Thank you." He grabbed his coat as he super-sped out the door, leaving Lana at the farm all by herself.

* * *

The entire day, Lois and Clark went in and out of the Planet busy with their separate articles. Lois spent the entire day mostly interviewing her subjects, while Clark did the same, attaching his Red-Blue Blur duty on the side. They barely saw each other nor shared a moment to ask how the other was doing. It was, as Clark predicted, a long and busy day.

After the humiliating showdown that took place in Clark's front porch, Lois tried to be less involved in his personal life. She rarely asked him about his relationship with Lana, or how things at the Kent farm were going. Unless Clark voluntarily shared a story, she didn't ask anything in that aspect of his life. She wanted to maintain a professional relationship with him—to save herself from more of the heartbreak, and also to put a stop to her silent desperation of wishing he felt the same way.

* * *

Making his way towards his work desk after a long day of interviews, Clark caught a glimpse of a man's handwriting in one of Lois' folders. It was a name.

"Patrick Grant. He one of your subjects?"

"Not exactly."

"Who is he then?"

"Oh, just someone I met today," she answered as the corner of her lips curved. It was almost as if Clark was missing some vital information about the guy that Lois wasn't willing to share.

"Someone as in he's the new article you're working on?" he asked again.

"What's with the 21 questions, Smallville? And to answer your question, no. He's not work-related."

"So you just met him today, completely not work-related, and already you have his phone number. Are you even sure if this guy is safe?" he asked, concerned.

Her eyes narrowed, suspecting he had other intentions. She pursed her lips together and smiled knowingly.

"Clark Kent, are you jealous? I must say, green is definitely not a good color on you."

"I'm not jealous, I'm just a concerned friend."

Just then, a tall man dressed in a suit came over to Lois' table. Their eyes immediately shifted from each other to the man holding a stack of papers.

"Lane, boss wants to speak to you now," he commanded. Lois got up from her chair and gathered her belongings, including the folder with Patrick's number printed on it.

"See you tomorrow, Smallville." She waved the folder in front of him as she danced her way to the elevators.

* * *

Lois knocked on Tess' door.

"Come in."

She took a quick sigh and closed the door behind her.

"Randy said you wanted to speak to me."

Tess closed her laptop and laced her hands together.

"I'm sending you to Paris next week."

"Paris? Wait, why?"

"An Egyptian artifact is being brought to the Louvre Museum for showcase. I need you to keep an eye on it."

"So you're sending me halfway around the world to babysit some rusty old relic? Can't you just send one of your men to do that for you?"

"Three of the most powerful men in the world want to get their hands on it. It is your job to extract the information as to why they want it and what kind of mystery that artifact holds." Tess walked around her desk and stood, facing Lois.

"Hmm. And how long is my stay?"

"When I think you've supplied me with enough information, then I'll send you back."

Lois nodded and excused herself from the conversation. As she was about to leave, she was stopped by Tess' final words.

"And remember: _don't_ let anyone know in this building about your upcoming escapade. Not even your friend Clark Kent."

* * *

**Author's Note: **_Well, I certainly hope this wasn't a 'cruel' cliffhanger (sorry about that, _**imhooked**_.) My next update probably won't be until after Christmas, so I apologize. On my next update, I promise to reply to everyone individually. Merry Christmas to everyone, and Happy Holidays!_


	5. Stranded

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note: **_As promised, here are my replies to everyone who has reviewed so far:_

**daisy31** – _Thank you! Yes, Patrick will surely get Lois to stop thinking about Lana & Clark for a while, but the real question is, will her feelings for Clark change? Read & find out!_

**LoisNClark4Ever** – _Ah yes, everyone hates Clark right now. Don't worry, he will eat his heart out and get the karma that he rightfully deserves soon enough. Thanks for reviewing! _

**oye** – _LOL, sorry about the Clana stuff in the past chapters; I'll warn you if there are any (this chapter, not so much). And no, Patrick won't be evil, I promise. The Grant name just came randomly to me, so I completely forgot about that character in the show, haha._

**esra** – _Yeah, let's hope Clark gets super jealous that he finally realizes that the reason for his jealousy is because he has some lingering feelings for Lois as well. Thanks!_

**mea mcarron** – _Lois & Clark will get together, in time. And I promise you, it will be grand._

**imhooked** – _Hopefully this wasn't as cruel as a cliffhanger either! And you certainly have a good eye for realizing the connection between Patrick being from France & Lois getting sent there. Watch out when that comes full circle!_

**Hot-chocolate329** – _Yes, sometimes a good character is very much needed. Thanks for reviewing!_

**evilredknight** – _I'm sorry if you don't find this story line interesting. I know that there had been many takes on the Bride episode, but that's also why I told everyone from the first chapter that this was going to be my take on that. There are many other stories floating around out there, so hopefully you find one that suits your taste._

**sunset** – _Why thank you! I thought 'Bride' was perfect up until Lana showed up. I wanted to throw my popcorn at her, grr. And don't worry, I will finish this story! I hate leaving things unfinished, and besides, I want to see how Clark & Lois will get together, don't you?_

**Pau Lane** – _Aw, thank you! I'm no poet but I try to capture their feelings the best that I could. But no worries, this story won't be all about heartbreak! _

**devary** – _If only I wasn't so busy I'd update everyday. I will keep them coming though! Thanks!_

**ebatcl** – _I'm glad you like this story. It's nice to know someone out there appreciates my work. And btw, thanks for your words of encouragement. I've yet to reply to you._

**Elicia1** – _Clark could be very stupid at times. I'm just glad that he finally realized that him & Lois belong together (in the show). Thank you!_

**sammi** –_ Yeah, I really feel for Lois in the past chapters. To be humiliated like that and still be able to put a smile on her face…being a Lane sure has its advantages & disadvantages._

**Gladius Grim** – _Clark could be such a coward sometimes, especially when his feelings are on the line. Let's hope he mans up in the coming chapters. But thanks for the review!_

**jade2nightwing** – _Thank you for enjoying this take! I'm glad you like it! _

**IceQueen825** – _I thought it was horrible enough that the writers didn't address the aftermath of the almost kiss, but then to witness Lois go through the heartbreak might be unbearable to watch. And yes, Lois & Clark is destiny._

**sarah** – _Clois will come soon enough! But thank you!_

**Clois16** – _Thank you! And I'll try to update as fast as I can, really!_

**Louise** – _We've definitely gone a long way from Chapter 1 to Chapter 5. Hopefully you're still following! Thanks!_

**Storytellermama** – _No, thank you for reviewing! I always thought Jimmy and Chloe were cute together, but I have to admit, I did jump into the Chlollie bandwagon now. Not saying I don't like Chimmy anymore!_

**Kairan1979** – _You know everyone disliked the Bride episode when you see thousands of fanfics doing a take on what should've happened, haha. Thank you!_

**Allison – **_Well thank you so much for your support!_

_Okay, without further ado, here's Chapter 5! It's the longest one of all the chapters I have so far, so I hope you all enjoy! _

* * *

**Chapter 5: Stranded**

"So don't forget, if Oliver stops by, tell him I have the files and I'll send it to him when we get back."

Chloe carefully locked the diamond earring on her left ear as she made her way to her cousin's bedroom. Lois was on the bed with her cellphone, texting. She stifled a small giggle as she pushed more buttons on the miniscule device.

"Okay, Lois, are you seriously going to be on that thing the entire day? There are some people in the real world who wants to talk to you too, you know," Chloe let out, a little frustrated that Lois hasn't been paying attention to anything she just said. It was almost as if she was invisible.

Lois let out another giggle, this time much louder than the previous. She pressed her lips together in a thin line, now looking up at Chloe.

"Sorry, it's just that Patrick—"

"Yes, yes, I know. Patrick is telling you a joke. Patrick is telling you some bizarre story. If he's not calling you, he's _always_ texting you."

"Not true," she opposed.

"No, very much true! Ever since you met this guy, I feel as though you're spending more time with him than you are with me, even when we're both at home. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"…That I made a new friend?"

"Ha-ha. Very funny," she replied dryly.

"Come on, cuz. Don't feel neglected," she smiled at her. "What's up?"

A sharp scoff escaped Chloe's lips.

"You are unbelievable," she said, shaking her head. "Anyway, if you had been listening earlier, I told you that if Oliver came by—"

"…tell him you have the files and you'll send it when you get back," she finished. "See? I was listening."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, a little surprised that Lois was actually listening. From the window, she heard Jimmy honk the car, impatiently waiting for her to join him.

"How do I look?"

"Stunning. Now go; don't keep your husband waiting."

Chloe's heels clicked on the floor loudly as she left Lois' bedroom. She went downstairs and exited the Talon, determined to enjoy one of the many dinners she'll be sharing with her spouse.

* * *

_An hour later…_

A loud knock pounded on the apartment door.

Irritated, Lois jumped off her bed and into the living room. She expected to see Oliver on the other side of the wooden board.

As she opened the door, two heavyset men dressed in suits barricaded the entire hallway. They were wearing dark shades, completely hiding the third person who was standing right behind them.

"Wow, Ollie. Since when did you start bringing your own entourage?"

The two men moved on opposite sides, making way for their companion. The man removed his shades as well, and it was then that Lois realized that her expected visitor wasn't Oliver.

"Hello Lois," he greeted her, his voice dark, yet soothing to the ear.

"Patrick," she began, surprised. "What are you doing here? How did you even know where I—"

"I hope you don't mind, but someone told me where you lived," he replied. "These are for you," he said as he handed her a bouquet of yellow roses.

She brought her nose near the roses to smell their aroma. They smelled sweet, their appearance indicating they were freshly cut. It was the eighth time he'd given her flowers ever since they met. Not that she was counting.

"They smell great. Thank you."

He smiled as he watched her place the flowers on a large vase.

"So I'm going to assume that you didn't come all the way here just to hand me some roses again. What's going on?" She looked at the heavyset tall twins once again, a little concerned.

"Oh, please don't mind them. I'm so sorry I had to drag them here with me," he told her, hoping she wasn't disturbed by their strong presence.

"I see that you took my advice well." She remembered the subtle warning she told him the first time they bumped into each other. _This is Metropolis; people _will_ be all over you!_

"Yeah," he chuckled, "they make me look so feeble. Not a lot of people know, but I do have a black belt in karate."

"Mm, very impressive," she said, mocking him when he acknowledged her position at the Planet.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you—"

"Ask me what?"

"Come with me tomorrow. For dinner."

"Huh." That was all she could say.

"Tomorrow's my last day here, before I go to Greece. I'd like to spend it with you, if you don't mind."

She didn't think about it twice. Besides, for the past few months, most of her dinners were usually spent either at the Talon, the Daily Planet, or at the Kent farm. It was time to dine in other vicinities.

"I don't mind at all."

Patrick smiled, relieved that she agreed to join him for dinner. He took a quick sigh.

"Great, I'll pick you up at—"

She shook her head. "No need. Just tell me the time and place, I'll be there."

"Okay," he nodded. "Thank you, Lois."

One of the men pointed his head towards the stairs, reminding Patrick he had to go. Lois shot a glance at him, understanding the gesture.

"I'm so sorry I can't stay for long. I have another meeting I have to get to. I'll see you tomorrow," he kissed her lightly on the cheeks.

Lois watched him from her window as he got in his black sports car, driving off. The two men got in a black SUV, quickly following him from behind. She hoped that Patrick was smart enough not to bring his entourage for their dinner tomorrow night.

* * *

"Wow, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're going on a date."

Lois stepped into Chloe's room ready for her dinner with Patrick. She wore an elegant red mini-dress that complimented her contours of her curves perfectly, paired with some shiny black pumps. Her hair had also gone from its natural wavy style to a straightened do.

"It's not a date, it's just a dinner," she reminded her.

"Whatever you say."

As she grabbed her purse, Lois took one last good look at herself in the mirror. She admired the reflection that looked back at her, happy to see that for once, the imitation had a genuine smile on its face. She was excited to see Patrick. She was excited to hear more of his bizarre stories, excited to hear more of his not-so-funny jokes. She realized that meeting him took her mind off of Clark, but if she was really being honest with herself, her feelings for him never changed.

Turning around, Lois saw Jimmy arrive at Chloe's room, holding a bowl of popcorn.

"Whoa, Lois! I take this isn't just some dinner you have planned with Clark, huh?"

"Clark? Jimmy, what are you talking about?"

"Don't you and Clark always have dinner together? I thought you two planned a special…"

Jimmy looked at her with a confused expression on his face. He turned to Chloe, hoping she'll fill in some blanks.

"No, Jimmy," she chuckled, "Lois is having dinner with her 'new friend'." Chloe made air quotes as she mentioned the last two words.

"Oh. Well I totally didn't see that one coming."

"Okay loverboy, that's enough. Eat your popcorn and watch," she met Chloe's gaze. "I brought my keys, so don't wait up for me."

She nodded in agreement. "Have fun, Lois."

* * *

When Lois arrived at the restaurant, she saw Patrick patiently sitting down, waiting for her arrival. As she got closer to their table, she cleared her throat, letting him know of her presence.

He turned his head around and was surprised to see a smiling Lois in a red dress. He got up from his chair and kissed her on the cheek, followed by another set of—this time—red flowers.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you."

He walked around the table as he led her to her seat.

"I'm glad you could make it tonight."

"I told you I'd be here," she replied.

Couple minutes later, a man wearing a black bow tie approached their table. He handed them each a menu, and as Lois took a peek inside, she was overwhelmed with the different types of entrees they had to offer. The prices weren't inexpensive either.

"You ready to order?"

Lois flipped the pages once again. She couldn't find one thing that enticed her. Everything seemed too good to pass up.

"You know what? Could you actually order for me? I'll just make a quick stop to the little girl's room." She got up and excused herself from the table.

Patrick nodded his head as he waited for their server to come back and get their order.

* * *

As Lois exited the restroom, she noticed the restaurant was becoming more crowded. Left and right, she saw couples dining together, enjoying a wonderful night out in Metropolis. She marched back to the table only to be blocked by a couple waiting to be seated. She accidentally bumped into the man, which seemed to catch Patrick's attention as well.

"I am sor—"

The man and his girlfriend turned around, and much to Lois' surprise, she was able to identify his face. She knew him well; there was no way she was hallucinating. It was him.

"Clark?"

"Lois?"

"Lois?"

"Lana?"

"Lois?"

Three pairs of eyes turned to the last person who called Lois' name. Patrick stood up and walked over to Lois' side.

Both Lana and Clark shot Lois a confused look, unsure of who was the man she was having dinner with. She patted Patrick in the arm and introduced him to the pack.

"Clark, Lana, this is Patrick. Patrick, this is Lana, and this is Clark."

Patrick shook Clark's hand firmly. On the other hand, he shook Lana's hand, kissing it right after. She blushed.

"I'm sorry, but Lois never mentioned about you. How did you two meet again?" Clark asked, suspicious.

"Oh Clark, always the joker," she lightly slapped his arm.

"Well we actually met at the Daily Planet," he answered.

"Yeah, we did. Remember Clark? I told you about Patrick, like, last week."

His face wrinkled as he tried to remember the event in his memory. He could only remember the time when Lois told him that Patrick wasn't "work-related".

"Hm, I'm afraid not," he challenged, smirking.

Finally, Lana joined the conversation. "Either way," she shot Clark a look, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Patrick. We'll leave you two as our table is ready as well."

"If you'd like, we could all sit together at our table," Patrick offered.

"No!" she cleared her throat. "No, actually, I think Clark and Lana would like some privacy, since, you know."

Patrick nodded his head. "Of course."

"It's nice to meet you, Patrick," Clark said as he shook his hand again. He took Lana's hand as they danced around the other tables, following a woman who showed them to their seats.

Lois watched as Clark and Lana walked hand-in-hand to their table. Patrick saw the tormented expression in her face, finally understanding why she refused to share a table with them. He knew that look too well not to recognize it.

* * *

"Ready for some dessert?"

Lois lifted up the glass of water and brought it to her lips. All that eating made her parched. She wasn't going to let dessert pass by just like that though.

"Yep," she said as she finished drinking. She was just glad Patrick didn't bring up what happened earlier in their conversation.

As the waiter took their empty plates, Patrick ordered the dessert platter for each of them to devour. The waiter ran back to the kitchen to follow up on it.

"So… is he the one?" he asked, his eyes quickly glancing towards Clark.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered nervously. She didn't meet his eyes.

"Come on, Lois. Let's not dodge the subject. I'm not going to judge you."

"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about you and Clark."

"Clark & I are work together, and we're friends. That's all."

"The look you gave him earlier doesn't really convince me that you just think of him as a friend."

_First Oliver, now Patrick,_ she thought to herself angrily. _Do I really make it that obvious?_

"Well that's where you're wrong, mister."

He wiped his lips with the napkin sitting on his lap. He wasn't going to let Lois get out of this conversation now.

"Lois, Lois, Lois," he took her hand and squeezed it.

"Don't you believe me?"

"I do believe you. I just want you to be honest to me, and to yourself."

Without putting up a fight, Lois decided to come clean to Patrick. Sure, she may have only met him for a couple of days, but he was the only one she could talk to about these things. Admitting it to anyone else who lived in Smallville—with the exception of Oliver—could have damaging effects.

"Well, is he?"

She turned her head and stole a glance at Clark and Lana's table. The happy couple was busy eating their food. She looked back at Patrick, and, without saying a word, nodded her head.

Yes, he was the one. The one who was capable of making her heart beat faster, the one who was also capable of breaking it into pieces. He could make her feel so high, yet make her feel so low all at the same time. Out of all people, it had to be him. Her colleague, her friend, her Clark.

"That's all I need to know, Lois. Thank you for trusting me," he kissed her hand as he released it.

* * *

"I had a wonderful time, Clark."

Lana rummaged through her purse as she and Clark walked out of the restaurant. She looked for the keys to his truck as she was going to drive back to the hotel, while he was going to go for his daily nightwatch. It became a usual theme for them to do the activity, since Lana knew being the Red-Blue Blur meant having responsibilities that could take some time out of his personal life.

"So did I," he said, hugging her before she got in his truck.

"Goodnight, Lana."

"I'll drop by with your car first thing in the morning. Goodnight," she replied back and slipped inside the red vehicle. She started the engine and drove off, leaving Clark standing all by himself.

* * *

On the other side, Lois and Patrick said their goodbyes as well after exiting the same restaurant.

"Thanks for making my stay in Metropolis a memorable one. Hanging out with you these past couple of days sure beats all the business meetings I've attended for the entire year."

"Well I do make an excellent tour guide," she said proudly, hands on her hips.

Just then, Patrick reached inside his coat and pulled out a square rectangular box. He opened it and inside was an antique-looking necklace that sparkled when it caught the glow of the moonlight. Lois' eyes widened as she admired it, astounded.

"I bought this when I was in Egypt. I want you to have it."

"No, no. I could never. I don't want you to think—" she was interrupted by his next words.

"I'm not expecting anything in return, Lois. It's my token of gratitude to you."

A short pause crowded the area.

"This may be hard to believe, but you are one of the few who I can truthfully call a good friend. You're honest, you're yourself, and you don't treat me differently even with my given reputation. It's very hard to find someone like you."

He walked behind her as he carefully placed the necklace on her neck.

"This should always remind you of me."

"I don't think it's necessary. Besides, who could forget going to dinner with one of the most sought after bachelors in Europe?" she joked.

As he walked around to face her again, he chuckled, followed by his award-winning smile. It was sure to knock girls off their feet. All except for Lois, anyway.

"You're an amazing woman, Lois Lane. I'm sure you'll find someone worthy of you someday." He took her right hand and kissed it again.

"Are European men always this romantic? I'm sure all the girls swoon every time you do this to them."

He laughed once more. "Not exactly. My mother raised me to show respect for women."

Before they departed, Patrick hugged Lois tightly, smelling the strawberry scent of her hair. He didn't know when they were going to see each other again, but he knew in his heart that he wanted to see her the next time he came back to Metropolis. He liked being around her, and it was the first time in his life where he felt he wasn't being judged by who he was.

"Okay, well have a safe trip," she said, breaking the embrace.

"I will," he uttered as he got inside the car. The engine roared to life.

"Oh, and Lois? If you're ever in Europe, let me know." He drove off as he raised his free hand in the air.

* * *

As Lois was about to get her car, she was surprised to see Clark still standing in front of the restaurant. She walked up to him.

"Smallville! What are you still doing here? And… where's Lana?"

Distracted from Lois' questions, Clark stopped listening in on the city. Everything was safe and sound—for now. He focused on her and as soon as he met her eyes, it felt as though someone just knocked the wind out of him. He couldn't help but admit, she looked exquisite.

"Lana's on her way to the hotel. She was uh, a little exhausted," he said.

"And leave you here to walk all the way home?"

_More like running,_ he thought. He couldn't tell Lois that he didn't need a car to get back to the farm. Even more, he couldn't tell her that he was on Red-Blue Blur duty. Instead, he shot a smile at her.

"I was going to call Jimmy and see if he could—"

"No need, I can give you a ride home," she offered, erasing Clark's idea out of the conversation.

Ever since Lana entered their lives once again, especially with Patrick keeping her mind off of the recently reunited couple, Lois felt her friendship with Clark slowly deteriorating. Their weekly movie nights disappeared out of thin air, and her random visits to the farm to raid his fridge became less frequent. She missed the good old days when they would simply get together and laugh until their stomachs ached. She missed Clark. She missed him even though he sat right across from her at the Planet each and every single day. Things took a sudden turn after the night of Jimmy and Chloe's wedding, and she wasn't sure they were for the best.

As she recollected the conversation between her and Tess a week ago, she remembered that with her leaving for Paris, she'd see Clark less often than she did now. Since her flight wasn't until in two days, she thought it would be good if they took one night to do the things they used to do—before all the emotional chaos took place. It was going to be an innocent, fun night she wanted to spend with him before she'd have to leave. Besides, she didn't know when Tess would send her back home—or worse—she didn't know what could happen when she comes back after her solo mission.

"Actually Smallville, do you want to go on a rendezvous with me?"

"What? I-I don't know, Lois…" he hesitated.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Just like before, we could go to a bar, drink, and sing some karaoke!"

The look on Lois' face was excited, as if she was ready to take on the world. Clark couldn't disappoint such a face. Little did he admit, he missed the things he and Lois used to do together too. It was going to be one pleasurable harmless night.

"Lead the way," he shrugged in defeat.

* * *

Everyone in the bar hollered and clapped as Lois finished singing one of her favorite songs.

"Thank you, thank you everyone!" She waved to the crowd as she walked back to Clark.

"I told you they love me!"

"You were right, Lois, you are the life of the party."

"Thank God for Whitesnake, right?"

He laughed as he popped a handful of peanuts in his mouth. He'd never seen Lois as happy as she did, well, if he really thought about it, before Lana arrived.

"Here's to us." She raised her bottle of beer, waiting for Clark.

"To Lois and Clark," he said as he raised his bottle, tapping hers.

They finished the beers as Lois gestured for the bartender to bring them another pair.

"You know, I'm really glad we're doing this, Lois."

Taken back from what he said, she moved her eyes away from the bartender and locked them with his.

"Yeah, me too," she breathed.

While enjoying a wild night out with Lois, Clark didn't forget about his duty to keep Metropolis safe and sound. Already he has excused himself out of the club twice, letting Lois think he went to the bathroom when really he'd been stopping robberies and attacks from happening. He used his super hearing again to check if there were any violent commotions.

"No, please! Somebody help me!" he heard a little girl cry out from afar.

"Here's the next round of—" Lois said, holding a beer in each hand.

"Actually, go on right ahead, I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"I-I, uh… I have to use the restroom."

"Again?"

"I'll be back, Lois. I promise."

She fanned her hand, letting him go.

* * *

Clark super sped out the bar and found himself in a dark alley where he saw a little girl crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Those men took bag! My money and my toys are in there!" she sobbed.

As he looked out into the street he saw two men with ski masks on their head running away. They looked back and saw Clark comforting the girl. They started to run faster.

"Stay here, I'll catch them, okay?"

She nodded her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

He super sped again as he finally caught up to where the two men were running. Their eyes almost jumped out of their sockets when they realized that the man hugging the girl earlier and the man that was now in front of them were the same. How could he have possibly ran that fast?

"That bag belongs to the little girl."

The two robbers attacked Clark as he effortlessly swung a punch to each of them, causing them to land near the trash dumpster. The girl ran to where they were as she quickly grabbed her bag out of one of the man's hands.

"Now get out of here; I don't want to catch you two doing this again!" he warned them. They got up from the ground and ran briskly, away from Clark and the girl.

"Thank you, mister."

"Hey, go home and lock all the doors, alright? Watch out for those bad guys."

She nodded her head and gave Clark a hug. As she started to run, she accidentally ran into the trash dumpster, causing some of her toys to fall out. Since the bump was loud, she didn't notice her toys falling out of her bag, and she continued running. Clark picked up a toy as he yelled out to her.

"You forgot some of your—"

Before finishing his sentence, Clark instantly began to feel weak, immediately falling down to his knees. As he got a closer look, right next to a large gem was also a huge green kryptonite, slightly covered with a small cloth. He didn't have enough power to push it out of the way, so instead, he was left lying down on the pavement, hoping someone will come and take the meteor rock away.

* * *

_Couple of hours later…_

Just like Clark, Oliver scoured around the city to make sure everything was peace and orderly. As he jumped into another building, he saw what looked like a figure lying down on the floor in a dark alley. He went down to check it out.

"Clark?" he asked, surprised. His eyes rapidly searched for the green kryptonite.

"O-Oliver, ov-ove-r th-there…" Clark grunted faintly.

He followed Clark's finger pointing to the meteor rock as he swiftly threw it away, enough that it was out of Clark's presence. His face winkled.

"What happened?"

"A young girl was being robbed by two men. Little did I know she carried green kryptonite as one of her toys."

Just then, Clark's phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his jacket as he saw the name pop up on the screen.

"It's Lois. I left her in the bar two hours ago," he said, agitated.

He took a quick sigh as he picked up the call and waited for a woman's voice on the other line.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _I'm sorry if it took me a while to update! I've just been so busy with so much stuff. I don't know when, but I'm sure my next update is going to be after the New Year's. With that said, I hope everyone has a lovely New Year's Day! Cheers guys!_


	6. Confessions & Revelations

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note:** _Finally, here's the sixth installment! I must say, this is the longest chapter I have written so far, and I did it all in one sitting. With that said, please bear with me if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes! I read the chapter three times to make sure there aren't any, but if there are still some lingering around, then I apologize! Now it's time to reply to my past reviewers—but before that, thank you for all the reviews/favorites/alert! You guys are awesome._

**alexindigo** – _Please let me hit Clark with the kryptonite brick. I've been wanting to do that ever since he ran back to Lana's arms in the Bride episode. And as for Patrick, well, you'll see soon enough! Thanks for reviewing!_

**oye** – _I couldn't stop laughing at your review, haha. Someone's fallen in love with Patrick! About the kid on the streets—talk about a question overload! (You're making me want to dedicate a chapter solely on reader FAQ, lol.) But no, the kid was just on her way home, and yes, she is normal. She just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and well, thank goodness the RBB was there to save her, right? Thanks for the review!_

**katlynne** – _You sure know how to flatter a person, don't you! Well hopefully this update satisfies you for the time being, and I hope you'll like it! Thank you very much!_

**Gladius Grim** – _Ah, well he'll surely feel the wrath of Lois Lane soon enough. Karma is out to get him now. Thank you so much for reviewing!_

**imhooked** – _I'm glad you enjoyed the previous update! And you're right about Lois feeling more confused and rejected by his disappearance. Let's see what happens once she goes to Paris! Thanks!_

**LoisNClark4Ever** – _You will see one of Clark's reactions at the very end of this update (but sorry to say, it's not about Lois and Patrick though), I can tell you that much. Let me know what you think of it! Thanks for taking the time to review my story!_

**The Fake Commentor** – _You scared me with your review there, buddy. I thought you were going to sue me for sure! Kidding. Anyway, well I hope this update makes up for all the days you had to wait and I hope you find it very satisfying. And no worries, Lois won't look like sloppy seconds here. I'll do whatever it takes to get Clark to realize that he belongs together with Lois. About the artifact—nope, it isn't the same one in Isis, so don't get that idea fixed in your head! I highly doubt Hawkman will make an appearance in this story, since I'm really trying to zoom in on just Lois & Clark's relationship. I hope that won't discourage you from reading though! Thanks for the wonderful review!_

**Hot-chocolate329** – _Well, I did promise that I won't make Patrick evil, right? And yes, I'm still sticking to my stance that they won't have any romantic relationship, but it's good to know Lois has found a good friend in him. Just like you, I prefer Lois & Clark as well. They are destiny. Thank you so much for the review!_

_

* * *

_**Chapter 6: Confessions & Revelations**

_Ten twenty-four pm._

It had been exactly twenty minutes since Clark excused himself to use the bathroom.

Looking around the bar, Lois tried to find him. Left, right, across, behind… the man was nowhere in sight. She checked her phone to see if he called.

_No missed calls,_ she thought.

As each minute passed, she grew more concerned about Clark. The bar was becoming more and more crowded, making it harder for her to recognize his face. She decided to go to the back and check the bathroom first.

After looking around the area, Lois slightly opened the door, enough for her to take a quick peek inside.

"Smallville? Smallville, you still in there? You having some indigestion or what?"

Just then she heard a flushing noise and a man walking towards the door. She closed it, hoping he didn't see her sticking her head inside. The attempt was too late.

"Hey, this is the men's bathroom! Women's is on the opposite side!"

"I can see that, baldy. I'm looking for my friend," she answered, a little angry.

"Your friend?"

"Yeah… he's yay tall, wearing a blue dress shirt, red tie? You can't miss him."

"Look, there was no one else inside but me, lady. I'm afraid you won't find your friend in there." He ended the conversation as he went back to his friends.

_No one else inside? But where could Clark possibly be?_

Confused, Lois took another look around the bar. People were dancing, drinking, eating, flirting, exchanging numbers… all having a good time. That was all she wanted for her and Clark to do. But now with him going MIA, she didn't know what to think. Did he leave her there purposely, or did something else happen? She wasn't sure what to do next.

Worried, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number immediately.

A computerized voice answered on the other line and asked her to leave a message. She dismissed the call and redialed his number.

"Come on, Smallville, where are you?" she breathed.

"…Kent's phone. Please leave a message after the tone." The call went straight to voicemail once more.

"Clark, it's Lois. I don't know where you are or what happened to you, but when you get this, please, _please_ call me back." She pressed the end button, hoping he receives her message and calls her right away.

* * *

"Looks like your boyfriend left you here all alone," the bartender interrupted as he handed Lois a cold bottle of beer. It was now eleven o'clock and she still didn't get any calls from Clark.

"Thanks," she replied. She sat there patiently still waiting for him to arrive.

"I'm sure he'll come back for you. You look way too nice to waste such a beautiful evening. Go have fun," he encouraged her.

Lois smiled at him, appreciating his concern, but at that moment she was way too caught up worrying about Clark. It had been at least an hour since he left her stranded in the bar by herself, and there were still no sign of him anywhere. She called his phone again.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. All were still answered by the same computerized voice. That was the last time she was ever going to call him.

Turning her head around, she saw a table full of men cheering loudly. As the space cleared out, she saw five men sitting around the same table with empty shot glasses on their hands. The end of her lip curved as an idea clouded her head.

"You know what? I will have fun," she told the bartender as she headed towards the crowded table, joining them.

* * *

_Twelve thirty-six am._

"Lois?" Clark answered his phone after being liberated from the green kryptonite.

"Uh… no, man. This is the bartender from Tropical Twist," a man's voice answered.

_Tropical Twist_… It was the name of the bar that he and Lois went to together, before he left her. But why was the bartender calling from Lois' phone?

"Where's Lois? Is she okay?" he demanded.

"Yeah… see that's why I called you. I think she's had a little too much to drink and is causing some disturbance with our other patrons here. Your name was the first to pop up in her 'Calls Made' list so I just redialed the number…"

Before even finishing his sentence, Clark interrupted him.

"I'll be right there," he told him as he hung up. He took a quick sigh.

"So what did the abandoned Lois Lane want?" Oliver asked him.

"I need to get her out of there. She's drunk," he answered, feeling guilty that he left Lois all alone in the bar when he promised he would come back.

"Go. I'll take it from here," Oliver said, letting Clark run back to Lois while he looked over the city. He watched as he nodded at him and super-sped away to race back to the bar.

"This is going to be interesting," he chuckled as he remembered the last time when Lois was drunk: the night of Jimmy and Chloe's wedding. Clark was going to be in for a surprise.

* * *

"Lois?"

Clark's eyes scanned the bar and found one Lois Lane sitting sloppily on a high chair with one hand resting on her forehead. It looked like her head was throbbing with pain.

"Lois?"

"Oh, there you are," the bartender replied as he handed Lois' phone to him, "you really need to get your girlfriend out of here before anything else happens."

Lois turned her head and saw Clark with a concerned look on his eyes. She got up from the chair, with a bottle of beer on her hand.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the world's greatest liar," she looked at him rudely.

Clark took the bottle out of Lois' hand and placed his arm around her waist, to keep her from falling. He looked her in the eye.

"Lois? Come on, let's get you home."

She removed his hand and tried to stand up straight. She failed miserably.

"Leave me alone. I can take care of myself…" she said, pushing his hand away from her.

"No, Lois. We need to get you home."

"_You_ can go home. I don't care where you go, I'm staying right here," she challenged him.

Clark found Lois' purse sitting on the table and grabbed it, quickly searching inside for her car keys. As soon as he found it, he grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out the door.

"W-wait, wh-what are you… hey! I'm still playing with them!" Lois yelled out as she tried to get out of Clark's captivity.

He led Lois out of the bar and headed straight to her car, sitting her on the passenger's seat.

"No—Clark!" She fought with all her might. It was a wasted effort.

He ran to the other side of the car and sat on the driver's seat, speeding away back to Smallville.

* * *

Clark opened the front door and helped Lois get inside.

"Wha—why am I in your farmhouse, Smallville?" Lois asked. She dropped her purse on the ground as she plopped down on the couch, laughing. She recognized that the decorations inside didn't match the items in her apartment.

Clark closed the door behind him and dialed Chloe's number once again. The call went straight to voicemail so he assumed that she was already sleeping. It seemed that he had no other choice but to have Lois spend the night at his house. He picked up her purse and placed it on the coffee table.

Lois laughed once again as she watched Clark pace back and forth around the living room. She had no idea what was bothering him.

"You reeeeeally need to relax, Smallville..." She stood up unsteadily and walked towards him. Unfortunately, she tripped on her own feet. She giggled as soon as she realized she fell to the floor.

Clark crouched down and met Lois' eyes. With an alarmed look, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Lois, are you okay? Here, let's sit you on the couch."

She wiped her lips with her right arm and pushed Clark's hand off of her shoulder. She giggled for the millionth time.

"I feel _fine_," she told him.

"It would be better if you're sitting on the couch," he smiled nervously. He propped her up off the floor but instead of sitting down on the sofa, she held her own and stood up. That didn't last for long, however. She lost her balance and Clark got to her before she fell to the floor once again.

* * *

After a couple minutes of absolute silence, Lois decided to speak.

"Clark, why did you lie to me?"

He turned around and saw her sitting down, the expression on her face disappointed. It hurt him to know that he was hurting her as well. What's worse of all, however, was that he couldn't even tell her the truth.

"What are you talking about, Lois?" he asked, trying to sound as if he didn't know what was going on.

"Why did you leave me at the bar? You left me there thinking you would come back, but you made me look like a fool sitting there, waiting for no one."

"Lois—"

"If you didn't want to be with me, then why didn't you just say so? I know I'm not that important to you nowadays, but would it really hurt if you were honest with me just once?"

Each word that escaped Lois' lips felt like a million lashes whipping at him. He stood there in the darkness, dumbfounded. He had no idea Lois felt this way all along.

"I—"

"I understand if Lana needed you to be there to comfort her. Besides, she's everything to your world anyway."

Now Clark had no idea why Lana was being brought into the picture. At first, he thought Lois was just angry at him for neglecting her at the bar, but how did Lana get in the conversation?

"Lois, this has nothing to do with Lana," he assured her.

"_No_, this has _everything_ to do with Lana!" she yelled out, really grabbing Clark's attention.

_Calm down, Lois is just drunk,_ he told himself. _She doesn't mean anything she's telling you right now._ Somehow, for some reason, a part of him wanted to know what Lois meant. What did she mean when she said it had everything to do with Lana? He realized this might be his only chance at finding out.

He sat himself on the coffee table, sitting across from Lois. His face was just a couple of inches away from her now.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her, curious.

"The night of Jimmy and Chloe's wedding," she cleared her throat, "do you remember when we danced? After all those months we spent together here at your house, watching movies, having fun, trying to get you to move on with your life… I thought you were ready. I thought, hey, maybe you were ready to put your heart out there again. I thought you closed that chapter in your life already. But I was wrong."

She paused for a moment, letting Clark take it all in. He sat there with a confused look on his face. He didn't say a word, waiting for her to talk some more.

"I tried to resist this for a long time, Clark. I didn't want to admit to them, but I realized I was only lying to myself. And when we were dancing, I thought you felt it too. I thought you were ready to let me in, but the minute Lana stepped in to that door, I knew you were still the same old Clark that was in love with her."

Recollecting back the memories from Jimmy and Chloe's wedding, Clark remembered the dance he shared with Lois. He remembered staring into her deep brown eyes, almost as if he was looking inside her soul. There was a level of comfort and awkwardness when they were dancing, for reasons he couldn't understand before. What he couldn't remember though was what happened after once Lana decided to crash the wedding. He was way too caught up with the feelings that resurfaced once the love of his life returned.

Still confused with what she meant about admitting to something, Clark asked Lois, a little unsure whether he really wanted to know the answer to that question.

"What are you admitting to, Lois?"

She looked at him and smiled. She couldn't believe he was so blind not to notice.

"Believe it or not, I do care about you, Smallville. I care about you more than you will ever know."

Just then, Lois caressed Clark's cheeks as her face moved closer to his. Step by step, inch by inch, moment by moment…they finally met. She then pressed her lips into his, letting him take in all of her. She tilted her head until the angle was just right.

Couple of seconds later, Clark moved away from her, breaking the kiss. He'd seen Lois get drunk many times before, but he'd never seen her come on to him that strong.

"Lois, this is wrong. I'm sorry." He looked down on the floor, waiting for her reaction.

Countless teardrops escaped Lois' eyes, staining her face with the heavy mascara. She looked at Clark in disbelief as she brought her right hand to his face, slapping him.

"I'm sorry too," she muttered, wiping the tears away. She grabbed her keys and moved towards the front door.

"No, Lois. I can't let you leave. You're too drunk to drive," he said, beating her to the door. He blocked it to prevent her from leaving.

Rather than fighting Clark to let her out, Lois felt dizzy. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, grimacing.

"Lois? Are you—?"

Before he even finished what he was going to say, Lois vomited all over her dress and all over his arms. Luckily, he found a piece of shirt hanging on the coat rack as he quickly wiped it on his hands and on Lois' face. Before she could even apologize, she lost all her senses and fainted in his arms.

_So much for one pleasurable harmless night_, he thought as he carried her upstairs to his bedroom.

* * *

_The next day…_

Clark raced back to the Kent farm after stopping a fire in the city. He wanted to make sure he was there when Lois woke up so she wouldn't suspect that he left her once again. He took out some food in the fridge and started making breakfast.

Upon smelling the aroma of coffee coming from the kitchen, Lois woke up, surprised to see that she was wearing Clark's red flannel shirt. To add to the confusion, she realized that she wasn't sleeping on her own bed either.

"Oh no…" she let out, her eyes widening.

She ran downstairs and found Clark toasting some bread and cooking eggs in the kitchen. He smiled at her, pouring her a cup of coffee.

"How's your rest, sleepyhead?" He handed the warm cup to her.

"Thanks," she said, taking a sip. The warmth of the drink soothed her.

"You feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm great," she replied. She tried to remember what happened last night, but no memory came to her. She wanted to know how she ended up in the farm, wearing Clark's shirt.

"Clark?" she hesitated at first.

Clark looked at her and smiled again. After the turnout of last night's events, he thought it would be better if he didn't bring it up. Lois wasn't in her right mind and most of the things she said probably didn't mean a thing anyway. Especially the ambushed kiss.

"D-did we?" Her eyes were pleading for answers.

"Did we what?" he smirked, making it harder for her.

She shot him a look. "Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

"No, Lois. We—we didn't."

She took a deep sigh relieved that nothing happened between them last night. It would've been a messy situation that she didn't want to be a part of. She helped herself with some of the eggs.

"You did end up vomiting all over yourself and my arms," he told her. "But don't worry, I took care of it."

Her eyes widened after hearing about her behavior last night. She never felt so ashamed as she did now.

"Well I'm sorry for throwing up like a piñata." That was all she could tell him.

"It's okay. Your dress is sitting on the dryer upstairs," he said as he joined her to eat breakfast.

Then, complete silence.

"Clark?" She couldn't resist asking him. She needed to know.

"Hm?"

"Did anything else happen last night? I mean, other than me…"

It was clear that Lois didn't remember anything she said or did last night. If Clark were to tell her about the things she said, it was just asking for a problem that can be avoided right now. No, it was better if she didn't remember.

"No, Lois. Nothing else happened," he replied as he took a bite of the sausage.

"Good. I trust that you're telling me the truth," she said as she took another sip of her coffee.

They sat there quietly devouring the breakfast Clark prepared for the both of them. It was nice to know that she could still sit down and have a decent meal with him, without blurting out all the awkwardness they've had ever since someone came back in town. It seemed as though Clark didn't even notice that she was a little less involved with his life now, so she just focused on the idea of sharing another moment with her friend before leaving the next day. She felt bad not telling Clark about her soon-to-be-disappearance, but it would be easier if she didn't mumble a word about it.

"Thanks, Clark." She met his gaze as she smiled from ear-to-ear.

"For what, Lois?"

"For being a good friend," she told him.

Clark placed his hand on top of Lois', whose eyes widened at the uncomfortable position of their hands wrapped together. She rapidly removed her hand and looked the other way, a little embarrassed.

After another silent moment had passed, Clark decided to ask Lois one question about last night. After little time has passed, part of him still wanted to know if she felt something more for him than just a friend.

"Lois…"

"Yep?"

"About last night, when you said—"

Right as he was about to let out the words, he heard the front door close shut and footsteps approach the kitchen.

"Clark, are you and Lois working on an article today because I thought it'd be a good idea if we—" Lana was stopped by what appeared in front of her.

When she came inside the house, she expected to see Lois with him since her car was parked in the front. She thought that they were just talking about something work-related, but when she saw Lois wearing Clark's favorite shirt, she realized that something else had been going on.

"What is going on here?" she asked, afraid to know the answer.

"Lana, before you start assuming anything, it's _not_ what it looks like," Lois told her upfront.

"I'm sorry Lois, but I need to talk to Clark _in private_."

"Yeah, okay." She got up from the chair and raced upstairs to change to her clothes.

* * *

Clark followed Lana towards the living room.

"Lana…"

"Would you mind explaining to me what I just witnessed there?" Her tone was furious.

"Lois got drunk last night, so I brought her here."

"And you couldn't drop her off at the Talon?" she asked him, still with the same tone.

"I tried to get a hold of Chloe, but she was already asleep!" he said, defending his side of the story.

"So-so what? You took her here and then what?"

"Lana, why can't you trust me? I told you, nothing happened!"

"I thought there'd be no more secrets between the two of us, Clark." Her voice was breaking. She turned around, not wanting to face the man who broke her heart a million times before.

"You're the one to talk about secrets—what about you trying to locate Lex?"

Lana's eyes widened as she slowly turned back around and looked at Clark. She was stunned.

"H-how did you know about that?"

"I wasn't sure before, but I am now," he replied, disappointed. "Why are you even doing this?"

"I'm trying to protect you, Clark. I'm doing this for _you_."

"Lana, if you know anything about me—even as the Red-Blue Blur—you know violence is not the answer," he whispered to her, still agitated.

She blinked her eyes a couple of times to prevent the tears from falling. The last thing on her mind was having a fight with Clark, and yet here they were arguing just like they have before. It seemed that lies and secrets, along with trust and honesty, were always going to be the things that broke them apart.

Giving up, Lana gathered her belongings and gave him back his car keys. She didn't want to continue fighting with him any longer.

"I'll see you later, Clark." She stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

"Hey, you okay?" Lois descended down the stairs after the verbal altercation ended.

Clark brought his hand to his forehead and shook his head lightly.

"I'm sorry to put you in the middle of all this," he apologized to her.

"No, don't be. I should be the one who's apologizing. I mean, if only my alcohol tolerance wasn't so weak…" she chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood. The attempt failed.

He scoffed as soon as he heard Lois' joke. That's how Lois always was—trying to make him feel better after any storm. He was glad she could be so optimistic, even during times of seriousness.

"Thanks, Lois. You always try to make me feel better."

"Eh, it comes with the package. I'll see you later, k?" She patted him on the shoulder as she opened the door. She turned around and took one last good look at him—it was going to be the last time she sees him before she leaves for Paris. Too bad the face that she'll have to remember was full of sadness and frustration.

_What have you done, Lane?_ _This is all your fault!_

She knew that she was the reason for this mess, and, being who she was, she knew she'd have to fix it soon. She made that promise to herself as she started the engine and drove away from the Kent farm. All she knew was that she wasn't going to be the reason why Lana and Clark broke up, if they were going to.

* * *

_The next day…_

It was another busy Monday morning in Metropolis, so Clark super-sped out the house to make it at the Daily Planet on time. Besides, he didn't want Lois yelling at his ear complaining about why he came late again.

He checked his watch and smiled as he saw that it was exactly 9 in the morning. He made it on time, and, as messy as things were back home, he wanted to forget all of that whenever he went to work. He was going to handle them at the right place, and at the right time.

After his verbal quarrel with Lana yesterday, Clark still hasn't received any phone calls from Lana. He figured that she just needed space, so he didn't bother calling her to check on how she was doing. He did, however, tell Chloe about the entire showdown and asked her to keep an eye on Lana for the time being. She agreed to do so without any hesitation.

As he marched towards his work desk, he was looking forward to seeing Lois and working side-by-side with her again. It had been a while since they worked on the same story together, and now that their solo projects were finished, it was time to reunite the Lane-Kent team once again.

Upon reaching his work desk, he frowned as he found Lois' desk empty. Her purse wasn't sitting on the rotating chair like it always did, and he noticed that the computer was untouched. It wasn't like her not to come to work, unless she was sick or took a day off. He chose to pick the latter.

The whole day, Clark occupied himself as he worked on his next assignment. He called his clients, revised his drafts, scheduled appointments…all without Lois Lane. He never noticed just how big of a role that woman has played in his life professionally and personally. For him, she was irreplaceable. There was only one Lois Lane in the world.

* * *

After a long day of running around at work, Clark decided to stop by at the Talon and drop off the folders to show Lois what he has so far. Since they were going to work together, he figured it would be nice if he showed it to her earlier rather than giving her a rundown when she gets back to work. He knocked as soon as he approached her apartment door.

"Lois?"

Clark knocked on the door once again. Still, there was no response.

Using his x-ray vision, he checked if there was anyone inside. No one. He was about to leave only to be stopped as he saw Chloe heading up the stairs.

"Chloe," he flashed a smile her way.

"Clark," she smiled back at him. He moved out of the way as she unlocked the door with her keys.

"H-how is Lana?" he asked, hopeful.

"She's doing fine. We got together for lunch earlier, and she told me she wasn't ready to see you just yet. You just need to give her some more time. Right now she's with Jimmy grocery shopping."

He nodded, understanding what she meant. He looked down on the floor and studied the patterns.

"I'm still mad at you for telling her about Lex though," she said as she pulled out a glass to get some water. It was her who told Clark about Lana's secret extracurricular activities, and she wasn't particularly happy when she found out that Clark called out Lana about it.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't going to mention it but it frustrates me that she still doesn't trust me."

"I'm sure she'll understand that it was just a big misunderstanding, Clark. You'll just have to wait when she's ready."

Moving away from the subject, Chloe noticed the neat stack of folders Clark was holding.

"What are those?" Her eyes darted to the folders.

"It's this new story Lois and I are supposed to be working on. Where is she anyway?"

"Lois?"

"Yeah, these are for her."

"Clark, I just dropped off Lois at the airport." She was surprised that Clark didn't know that Lois was leaving for a while. She assumed that he knew since she didn't go to the Daily Planet for work. Boy was she largely mistaken.

"Wait, what?"

"Didn't she tell you? She asked Tess for some time away. She's going on a vacation."

"By herself?"

"Technically, yes. But, she did mention visiting Lucy. I thought you knew!"

"She didn't tell me anything," he frowned.

"Well, that's the least of your concern right now," she finished the rest of the water, "your focus should be on how to be on Lana's good side again."

"Actually Chloe, there's something I need to tell you..." he uttered, hesitating a little. He wasn't sure if he should tell her.

"What is it, Clark?" she tried to find her best friend's eyes.

He took a quick sigh and met Chloe's gaze. It had been bothering him for a while now, and if there was anyone in the world he would tell it to, it would be none other than the person who'd known him almost all his life.

"Something else happened the night Lois stayed over my house."

"Oh Clark, please don't tell me…" she didn't want to say the words out loud.

"No, no! It's not that. While she was drunk, she said a couple of things, and well, she-she kissed me."

"Okay, as much as I love Lois, she can be a little too friendly when she gets some alcohol in her system," she replied, defending her.

"No—it's… I-I don't know what came over me. It just happened. Then all of a sudden, I knew I had to stop it," he stammered, not making any sense to Chloe.

"From what I remember, I know this isn't the first time you and Lois kissed. You two always forget they ever happened. What was different this time?"

"Um, well, uh..."

"Clark, _what_ happened?"

"I…"

Chloe's eyes widened. She was losing her patience with him.

"Well…?"

He hesitated once again. It was so much harder to say it out loud.

He paused and fixed his composure. Then finally, giving up, he let the words out loud.

"I kissed her back."

He winced at his own words as he waited for Chloe to give him a response.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 6! As we all know the holidays are over, so I am back to working my two jobs and school. That means it's going to be much harder for me to find time to update, but I will try my hardest to update as soon as I can. I don't know when that will be, but until then, I hope everyone has lovely days! Thanks for reading!_


	7. Freedom & Long Distance

**Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note: **_Thanks for all the reviews/alerts/favorites! I know it's been a month since I last updated, but life has just been SO hectic, I can't even tell you. Sorry for taking so long! If you're still following the story, well many thanks to you. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Alright, without further ado, here's chapter seven! _

* * *

**Chapter 7: Freedom & Long Distance**

Silence. Complete silence.

After admitting to Chloe about his unexpected reaction from last night's events, Clark started to think that telling her about it was a mistake. First of all, Chloe was Lois' cousin; as much as she'll try to make things fair between her cousin and Lana, there'll still be that slight bias of her favoring Lois. But, she was the one person Clark confided in his whole life. He had to let her know. Besides, she would find out soon enough on her own if he decided not to anyway.

"You know Clark, I always thought, 'There is no way in this world that these two will ever develop feelings for one another other than hatred,' but, quite honestly, a part of me never believed that."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, the idea of you and Lois becoming more than…you know, isn't exactly on the realm of the impossible, but it isn't very obvious either. You two couldn't even stand each other when you lived in one roof together."

Clark pondered on this idea as a million thoughts raced in his mind. He knew that he loved Lana; her returning was one of the best things that ever happened, but now, why is he starting to feel things for Lois that he didn't feel before? Perhaps, they were there all along, but he just never paid any attention to them.

Clark felt a cold touch wrap around his hands. It was Chloe's, and, on her eyes, he knew that she could understand the messy situation that he was in.

"Tell me, Clark, and I want you to be completely honest with yourself: do you still love Lana? Do you still love her the same way that you did before she left?"

Every inch of his body stiffened as Chloe asked him the inevitable. Of course, he still loves Lana. She was his first love; no one can ever deny that. He never wanted anything more than being with her. But, all of a sudden, why doesn't he feel so strongly about this? Surely, it can't be because of Lois. Not once did he ever see her as someone he would fall for. No, of course not.

"Clark?" she asked him once again. No response.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me the answer to that question. But, you know what? It's okay to admit that you don't feel the way you used to feel about her. Just make sure that whatever you do, it's what your heart is telling you to do. You need to be honest with yourself and with everyone else, since many things are on the line. And, gathering from personal experience, I can pretty much tell you that people will get hurt. Doesn't mean it's not for the best though."

Still not hearing anything from a suddenly unresponsive Clark, Chloe helped herself with more water from the faucet. She watched her best friend carefully, his face almost masked with a tortured look, when all of a sudden the front door opened, revealing Jimmy with a handful of bags.

Both pairs of eyes turned to Jimmy as he closed the door behind him.

"Hey, CK! Didn't realize that you were here," he said as he placed the bags on the kitchen counter. He gave Chloe a soft peck on the cheek.

"Hey, Jimmy," she answered, "you got home pretty fast."

"I-It's Lana. Guess she just wanted to window shop so I ended up doing all the shopping instead of her…" his voice faded as soon as he realized that Clark and Lana still weren't on good terms.

"I-uh, think I have to get going," Clark soon interrupted.

"But I just got home, CK! We could still—"

"Maybe next time, Jimmy," he replied, and met Chloe's eyes.

"Clark—" Chloe began.

He exited through the front door and super-sped back to the farmhouse.

* * *

_Paris, France Saturday, 8:02pm_

Dressed in her journalist attire, Lois pinned her Daily Planet badge on the collar of her suit. Since the original invitation to the artifact showcase was meant for Tess, she instead managed to score tickets merely as part of the public paparazzi. Little did everyone know she was babysitting the precious artifact and report back to her boss for information. She was on a private mission.

As soon as everything and everyone was settled, a woman in a white gown held a cordless microphone and began to speak.

"Bonjour and good evening, everyone! Welcome to _Musée du Louvre_, and thank you for being a part of this wonderful Egyptian-themed showcase. Tonight, you will bear witness to seven newly-discovered works of art that will soon join our Egyptian Antiquities collection. We hope you enjoy this, and have a great time."

The woman with a thick French accent stepped down from the stage as the lights dimmed a little. Before the first art was revealed, Lois' eyes scanned the room to identify the three men Tess wanted her to keep an eye on. They were all sitting near the front, seated right next to one another. That made her job a lot easier.

She took a quick sigh and sat herself down on one of the chairs near the back. "Showtime," she whispered to herself. This was what she was born to do.

* * *

_Smallville, Kansas Saturday, 1:02pm_

After feeding Shelby his usual lunch meal, Clark went straight to the barn and up to his personal lair. Though he doesn't really stay and sleep there on most nights, it was the place where he usually goes to think. This day wasn't any different. There were plenty of things running through his mind, and he knew that at some point, he had to face them.

As he placed Dr. Virgil Swann's journal in its usual hiding place, he accidentally knocked over a photograph that was sitting on the bookshelf. Flipping it over, he realized that it was an old picture of him and Lana, taken during the night she came over and gave him a birthday cake. That was also the night where he finally had the guts to kiss her. It seemed so long ago, but it was a moment Clark never forgot even after so many years had passed.

After picking up the broken glass pieces that came from the frame, Clark placed the picture of him and Lana on the large table. On the bottom-right corner of it, he saw another photograph—this time with him and Lois. Judging from their outfits, he quickly realized that the event was Jimmy and Chloe's wedding. It was taken during the reception, which explained the smiles on their faces as they sat next to each other. He remembered seeing her in that exquisite dress; her face radiating like a thousand stars. Dare he say it, she looked beautiful. He saw her in a different light that night, he was sure of it.

He took both pictures that were on the table and decided to keep them in a photo album. As he was about to place the picture of him and Lois, he was reminded of the time when she'd come over the barn just to check up on him. She was, after all, the one who helped him get through his heartbreak over Lana.

* * *

_-Flashback—_

"Smallville? Hey, are you ready in there? I found this new movie we can watch tonight," she said as she went up the steps leading her to Clark's personal retreat.

Looking out the window, Clark's eyes suddenly shifted towards the picture that was on his hand. It was a picture of him and Lana, when they used to be together.

"Clark…"

"All my life, all I wanted was to be with the woman that I love. I fought so hard to be with her, because I knew that I wanted us to have a life together. I wanted to build a future with her; I wanted to grow old with her. How could she tell me that we're not meant to be?"

Lois moved towards Clark and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"As much as I hate to quote clichés, sometimes, Clark, when you love someone, you do have to let them go. That's what Lana did—not because she wanted to, but because she loved you."

"She didn't have to leave." He was on the verge of crumpling up the photograph when Lois took it away from his grasp.

"Clark, listen to me," she spun him around until he faced her, "Lana left for a good reason. She's doing this _for you_. And with her gone, you can't expect your life to suddenly stop. You, as I'm sure with Lana, have to move on. It's the only way. And I am here for you, as long as that may take."

He looked into her eyes and realized that she might be right. However, he still didn't want to accept it. Accepting it meant he had to acknowledge the fact that Lana was forever gone.

"I'm just not sure how to go on knowing I just lost the love of my life," he continued.

"It's not the end of the world, Clark. Just because you and Lana weren't meant to be doesn't mean that you're never going to meet _her_. She's out there somewhere, and you might not know it, one of these days, she could be standing right next to you and you won't realize it."

Clark smiled at Lois for her attempt at cheering him up. He knew he was difficult sometimes, but somehow, Lois never seemed to get tired of looking after him. She was, like she'd told him a million times before, there for him—however long it might take.

He grabbed the photo away from Lois' hand and placed it back inside the photo album. Deep down, he knew that Lois was right: the woman meant for him will come, when it was time. For now, he'll just have to wait, and recover from the ill-fated tragedy of his relationship with Lana.

"Thanks, Lois. You always know the right thing to say."

She shrugged her shoulders. "What are frie—co-workers for," she told him, "now, come on! We'll miss the movie!" she yelled out as she grabbed his hand and led him downstairs.

"What are we seeing, anyway? Can't we just watch a DVD or something?"

"No, I've been patiently waiting to see this for weeks! If we get there and the movie's already started, you're paying for the popcorn and drinks," she threatened.

He chuckled as Lois dragged him out of the barn and into her car, still holding each other hand-in-hand.

_-End Flashback—_

* * *

Ever since Lana left Clark all by himself, he started to realize that Lois had been the one who stood by him after that challenging trial in his life. Other than Chloe, Lois was his support system. She was the one who patiently stayed and helped him get over the heartbreak he endured from Lana's actions. She was the one who welcomed him with open arms when he started working at the Daily Planet. She was the one, despite how different they may seem, who cared for him no matter how ugly things turned out to become. He didn't see it before, but now, he realized just how much of an impact Lois had in his life.

Thinking back on some of the conversations he had with Chloe before, he began to understand that perhaps, she was right on some things.

"_Love—first love, that has to count for something, right?"_

"_I-I don't know, Clark. All I know is that the only one that matters is the last."_

"_I want you to be completely honest: do you still love Lana? The same way that you did before she left? It's okay to admit that you don't feel the way you used to feel about her."_

"_People will get hurt. Doesn't mean it's not for the best."_

Even though it had been about six days since Lois and Clark shared a kiss, Clark still didn't know how he really felt about Lois. Sure, he cared for her—as a friend, but he didn't know if there was more to it than that. All he knew was that he liked being around her, liked working together with her at the Daily Planet. As much as they didn't get along sometimes, he knew that they have a level of understanding, which, he felt, should become disturbed, would have damaging and lasting effects. And he didn't want that. He didn't want to lose Lois and what they have, whatever that thing actually might be. But, one thing was certain: his feelings for Lana have changed. He'd been afraid to admit to them, but Chloe's been right all along.

After placing the photo album back to its usual place, Clark headed for the stairs only to be stopped by the woman who stood in front of him.

"Clark, can we talk?"

Without a fight, he took a deep sigh and nodded. This was it. He had a few things he felt he had to confess, and this would be the right time to do it anyway.

* * *

"For our final piece, tonight, we have here an ancient compass dating back thousands of years ago. According to myth, it was created by a secret society in Egypt who believed that, when activated, the compass will lead them to their savior. Many have tried to activate this sacred compass, but unfortunately, no one has succeeded. Only time will tell when this masterpiece will show its true history and beauty."

Inside a glass box, a gold antique-looking compass sat in the middle, wowing the crowd with its simplicity. After taking her eyes off of it, Lois focused her vision on the three men. All had a huge grin on their faces as they watched the compass glimmer under the soft light. If Lois didn't know any better, they all had the intent of figuring out how to activate the said piece. Before they could do that, however, she was sure that they were deliberating of ways on how they could get their hands on it first.

After five silent minutes to let the audience take in the radiance of the compass, the woman in the white gown grabbed the microphone again and walked up the steps to the mini-stage.

"That's it, everyone! We hope you all enjoyed this exquisite collection we've shown you tonight, and we thank you for coming! We hope to see you all on our next gala. Goodnight, merci!"

To set her plan in motion, Lois joined the leaving crowd and ran to the nearest restroom. Once there, she changed from her black suit to a deep red dress which accentuated the contours of her body nicely. She was going to entice the men and extort as much information from them as she could. It could be her last time seeing them, and she had to seize her chance.

Gathering around the glass box where the compass sat, Lois joined the three same men that were on her extortion list, trying to get their attention. It didn't take much effort for their eyes to finally land on her.

"It makes me wonder if there'll ever come a time when we will get to see this compass activate right in front of our eyes," she said in the most seductive voice she could produce.

"Mademoiselle," the heavier one of the group came forward and kissed her hand. She was dying inside as she watched these pathetic men fall for her like a lovesick puppy.

"The lady didn't mention it, but there is a way to activate the compass," the one with the darker complexion responded.

"I wonder what it could possibly be," she began again.

"There's another piece—one much smaller than the compass. No one knows what it is, but, if placed correctly, it could finally activate this magnificent compass we all long to see," said the one with the blue eyes. Lois couldn't help but chuckle at how pathetic they looked.

Once everyone else was out of sight, and all that was left was the three men and her, Lois began questioning them a little more.

"Another piece? Does the museum curator know what that piece is?"

"No. But I have my men working on it."

"I sent a field of experts down to Egypt to find it."

"I'm working with an analyst who is trying to understand the history of this compass."

_Guess these big pile of losers still don't have anything useful to me yet,_ she thought to herself.

Out of nowhere, men dressed in black suits and shades entered the area, escorting the three men to leave the museum, since it was time to go. They all kissed Lois on the cheek, and finally, before leaving, the man with blue eyes asked her one last question.

"And your name, mademoiselle, is?"

There was no way she was going to give her name. Quickly trying to scramble for a name, she smiled at the man and shook his hand.

"Francille," she answered. Hopefully it sounded French enough.

"Au revoir, Francille." He exited with the two other men with their collected secret service agents, and that's when it hit Lois: the three men were in on this together.

* * *

"Lana, I—"

"I'd like to go first, if you don't mind," she said in the calmest way possible.

He looked her in the eye and immediately knew that something was wrong. He didn't like the feel of where the conversation was headed, but remained quiet.

"When I decided that I would show up at Chloe's wedding, I knew that I would have to face the one person I've learned to love and care so much my entire life. I knew that it was going to be hard, seeing you, especially with the way I left things when I…disappeared."

Her eyes studied the wooden floor and then took a quick sigh. Tears were starting to form in her eyes but she prevented them from falling.

"I knew that if I were to come and see you again, there was a chance that I'd never leave and go back to the life I've accustomed to. And, I was right. I looked into your eyes that night, and I knew. I knew that there was no way I could ever leave you again. It hurt too much when I left you the first time."

He couldn't find enough words to express to her just how much it hurt when she left.

"And then, there we were. We were back in each other's arms, and it felt good to be reunited with the man I love. But, after that little fallout a week ago, that's when I realized: everything changed, including you."

Looking up at him now, Lana tried to fight the tears coming down her eyes. She failed miserably.

"Which is why, I know that I'm making the right decision when I tell you this: I'm letting you go."

Shocked and confused at Lana's words, Clark looked at her dumbfounded. He thought that the reason why she came was to forgive him after what happened a week ago, but he was largely mistaken. He never expected to hear her say anything like this.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's over, Clark. We are not the same person that fell for each other back then. We need to grow up, and move on."

"Why would you—"

"I spoke to Lois before she left. Actually, she begged to see me, and if it weren't for her, I don't think I'd be standing here right now doing this with you. She made me realize I needed to do this."

She wiped more tears from her eyes and continued to speak.

"She told me everything that happened from the night before I saw you together. She tried to defend you, but I didn't believe her at first. Then, she told me just how much you suffered after I left you. The days you spent longing for my return. The days you spent wishing everything was just a joke. The days you spent trying to heal, when, for a fact, you never really healed, did you? She told me everything. She told me how much you loved me, which made me realize, that I had to let you go."

"How could you say that, Lana? Do you have any idea what you put me through?"

"I do. And that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I don't want to put you through that kind of pain again. Especially now that I know that you have moved on."

A part of him felt that he needed to fight for her, but a part of him also felt that she was right. As much as he hated to admit it, they were not the same person as they were before. They have different wants, different needs. He just didn't know which one he should believe. Perhaps, he was just too afraid to accept the latter.

"I know you feel it too, Clark. I know, that deep down, you know that we're not meant to be together. You shouldn't be afraid of accepting that. You have to let me go too."

"I don't know what to say, Lana."

She shook her head. "You don't have to say anything. I just need you to know that I'm setting you free. I want to leave Smallville on a good note, and with everything in its rightful place."

"You're not staying?" he asked, a little perplexed.

"No. I need to leave so I can really move forward. I'll still visit from time to time. Besides, you have Chloe and I know Lois will take good care of you," she mused.

"Lois? Lois is still bossy, annoying, careless…" He realized that he could go on and on. But, he wouldn't. It wouldn't be fair after all the things that she'd done.

"Admit it, Clark. I know you feel something for her."

"What are you talking about? We are talking about the same Lois, aren't we? Bossy, loud…"

"And everything you can't live without. I know she feels the same way too," she told him.

"How would you know?"

"Because I saw the way she cared for you when she came and met me. She told me that she couldn't stand the thought of you feeling down, and I saw the look of concern she had when it came to you. She cares for you more than she shows it, trust me."

"That's not true."

"You're going to thank me soon, Clark. I know you will."

* * *

As soon as no on else was left in sight, Lois immediately took out her phone and started taking pictures of the Egyptian compass. In case Tess needed to see what the artifact was, she would be ready with proof. She was about to place the phone back in her mini-purse as five men crowded around her. They looked like the museum security.

"Mademoiselle, we ask that you refrain from taking photographs of these highly-sensitive collections. No one other than the people invited here today has seen the exhibited pieces, and we'd like to keep it that way. May we see your telephone?"

Just then, another man came out running towards the glass box, where Lois and the five men were. He whispered something on one of the men's ear, presumably the head security, and with a quick snap, the four other men snatched Lois' phone and cuffed her hands behind her back.

"Hey, what the hell is going on here? Why are you cuffing me?"

"We ask that you come and follow us without any fight, ma'am. We'll explain everything to you soon enough."

After being taken to a dark room, Lois was asked to sit on a chair while the head chief of security reviewed the tapes again from a small-screen television.

"Can anyone explain to me why I'm still locked up on this dungeon? What the hell is going on?"

The man watching the tapes turned around and met Lois' eyes intently.

"Miss Lane, could you please explain to me why you decided to go from switching your dress suit to this fancy red dress? What were you talking about when you spoke with some of our guests?"

"Wow, I don't have the freedom to wear whatever the hell I want? Just what kind of country is this?"

"Miss Lane, the press was asked to leave right after the host announced the end of the showcase. Unfortunately, you were not granted the luxury of being able to see the antique collections in close-up, so why did you do it? Do you have any intention of taking the collections away from the museum's premises?"

"You are unbelieva—"

Before Lois even finished her statement, she was suddenly interrupted by a man's voice.

"Release her."

Eyes widening, Lois realized that she knew who that voice belonged to. Sure, she may not have heard it many times in her life before, but she couldn't be wrong. She knew who was giving the orders. The question was, what was he doing there?

Without any hesitation, the man who was interrogating Lois just a little earlier followed exactly what the man asked for. He took the cuff off Lois' hands and returned back her cellphone.

"Lois, are you alright?"

Looking up at him, Lois couldn't help but feel confused. She had no idea how he knew about the event, let alone the fact that she was there, in Paris. Was it purely a coincidence?

"Patrick," she let out, a little unsure whether he could still be trusted. She was about to find out.


End file.
